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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23066446">and now for a ficlet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iam93percentstardust/pseuds/iam93percentstardust'>iam93percentstardust</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Regency, Alternate Universe - Vikings, Alternate Universe - Western, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Asexual Natasha Romanov, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Fairy Tale Curses, Felching, First Dates, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kissing, Knotting, Lingerie, M/M, Odin (Marvel)'s A+ Parenting, Omega Tony Stark, Overstimulation, POV Outsider, True Love's Kiss, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:01:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>42,806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23066446</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iam93percentstardust/pseuds/iam93percentstardust</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of ficlets and prompts from tumblr</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark/Hope Van Dyne, Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Sam Wilson, Tony Stark/T'Challa, Tony Stark/Thor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>278</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1155</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Scream for Me; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>70. "Say my name over and over again and, once you think you’ve said it loud enough, scream it. I want the whole neighborhood to know who’s making you feel good.“</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by in-umbria-gratia on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Much to Steve’s surprise, Tony is actually quiet in bed. He gasps and whimpers and moans but Steve never hears the screams he would expect out of someone as loud and larger-than-life as Tony is. Tony says it’s because of how he grew up, that being loud was a privilege he couldn’t afford, first because of Howard’s bigoted ways and then because of a shared dorm room, and then it just became a habit he never got around to breaking.</p><p>Which, of course, makes those times when Steve can get him to scream all the sweeter.</p><p>“I want you to be loud, sweetheart,” he whispers in Tony’s ear. They’ve been here for almost three hours. Steve has come in Tony’s tight little hole four times. Tony, having pleaded with him to test how many times Steve could come, is wearing a cock ring and–at Steve’s last count–has come dry three times. He’s overstimulated and desperate and so fucking gorgeous Steve wants to keep him this way for the rest of his life.</p><p>Steve is getting closer to the peak of his fifth orgasm. He’s pretty sure this will be the last one but he wants to get Tony screaming first. He wants Tony begging and strung-out.</p><p>“I want you to say my name over and over again and once you think you’ve said it loud enough, scream it. I want the whole tower to know who’s making you feel good.”</p><p>“<em>Steve</em>,” Tony moans, tapering off into a whimper when Steve’s cock brushes against his oversensitive prostate. “Can’t. Bucky’s right next door.”</p><p>Steve doesn’t care. It’ll be payback for the years Bucky brought his dates home and fucked them in the living room because they were too poor to afford a two-bedroom apartment. </p><p>“Come on, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “Tell me how good I’m making you feel.” He punctuates his sentence with a sharp thrust.</p><p>Tony arches up off the bed, hands fisting in the sheets, gasping out, “Steve!” It’s barely louder than the whimper from earlier but it <em>is</em> still louder and Steve counts it.</p><p>“That’s it,” he encourages. “You can do this for me.” He sets up a slow, rolling pace with his hips. Each motion drags the head of his cock over Tony’s prostate, punching out moans and whines from his lover and always, Steve’s name.</p><p>A series of fast, quick thrusts gets his name drawn out into a long moan.</p><p>Teasing the head of his cock at the rim of Tony’s hole gets Tony sobbing.</p><p>Coming inside him until Tony’s full of him gets him crying out but it’s still not the scream he’s waiting for.</p><p>He pulls out, finally spent, moves down Tony’s body, pressing sloppy kisses to every inch of his oversensitive skin that he can reach. Steve slides two fingers back into Tony’s pliant hole and bypasses his cock to lap around his fingers, licking his own spend out of him. They’ve never done this before and it seems that he’s completely broken Tony, who freezes for an instant. Steve readies himself to grab onto Tony’s hips to keep him where he wants him but he doesn’t need to. </p><p>Tony shouts and presses his hips further into Steve’s hand. “Please, please, please,” he babbles in time with the thrusts of Steve’s fingers. He hitches Tony up closer to his mouth, sucks as his cum slides free into his mouth. It’s not the best taste but it’s intimate and <em>raw</em> and Tony is wailing his pleasure and not even an Assemble could tear Steve away from him right now.</p><p>He pulls his mouth free just long enough to tell him, “You know what I want.” His other hand steals out from under Tony’s hips to flirt with the edges of the cock ring. </p><p>Tony takes in a deep, shuddering breath and Steve–Steve can tell that this is it. He fits his mouth around Tony’s hole and <em>sucks</em> and at the same time, he presses his fingers to the locks on the cock ring and–</p><p>And Tony screams, “<em>Steve!</em>” as he comes, shooting over his stomach, hips still pushing up restlessly. Steve pulls his mouth away to watch but he continues thrusting his fingers, drawing out Tony’s orgasm. Tony is always gorgeous when he comes but Steve thinks he likes him best like this, oversensitive and trembling and sobbing in Steve’s arms. He slides his fingers out and crawls back up Tony’s body to pull him into his arms, murmuring sweet nothings to bring him back down.</p><p>“Thank you,” he says eventually, when he thinks Tony is ready to hear it, “for giving me this.”</p><p>Tony hums and leans up to kiss the underside of his jaw. “Can’t talk,” he mutters. “Sleeping.” From the other room, they hear Bucky getting out of his bed and stomping toward the hall. Tony eyes the door. “And you’re dealing with that.” And then he tucks himself back under Steve’s chin and closes his eyes.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. What are You Wearing?; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>66. “If you leave the house wearing that then the second you get back home I’m going to bend you over that bed.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by missmoodybear on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are you wearing?” Bucky asks flatly.</p><p>Tony pauses in the closet doorway and looks down at his body. After a moment, he looks back up with a slightly quizzical expression on his face. “I would think that’s obvious, Buckaroo,” he replies, just flippant enough to convince Bucky that he knows exactly what he’s doing.</p><p>He steps closer, runs the tip of his fingers along the scalloped edges of the lace. Tony’s eyes flutter shut and he sways into the touch. “When did you pick this out?” Bucky asks, arousal turning his voice rough.</p><p>Tony hums. “Yesterday. Nat wanted a new bra so we went out shopping. Do you like it?”</p><p>Bucky lets his hand drift along the edge of the panties, admiring the look of Tony’s golden skin under the dark blue of the lace. He runs his hand to the back, slides it down to cup one firm cheek, and uses his handful to draw Tony up against him. Tony gasps and ruts softly against his stomach.</p><p>“Oh, sweet thing,” he breathes, “I <em>love</em> it.” He urges Tony into a rhythm, pressing his cock into the vee of Tony’s hips, their hips rolling against each others. Bucky can feel his orgasm creeping up on him with a speed that he attributes to Tony in blue lace panties–</p><p>Which is why it’s such a disappointment when Tony slips from his arms.</p><p>“I have a board meeting,” Tony says, the firm tone undercut by the breathy quality to his voice. Bucky looks at him, at the blown pupils and the mussed hair. He already looks well-fucked and that hitch in his step suggests something…more.</p><p>Bucky takes another step into his space. He slides his hand down the back of Tony’s panties. “A board meeting,” Tony repeats but it’s a lot less decisive this time. Bucky nods his understanding and then taps his finger against the base of the plug in Tony’s ass. Tony hisses and rises up on his toes, right into Bucky’s body.</p><p>“You do that,” Bucky rumbles. Another tap and Tony keens, closing his eyes as his hands fist in Bucky’s shirt. “But if you leave the house wearing that, then the second you get back home, I’m going to bend you over that bed.” He punctuates his sentence by grasping the flanged end of the plug and giving it a sharp twist.</p><p>Tony cries out, hips jerking into Bucky’s. After a moment, Bucky lets go of the plug and slides his fingers back out. “Board meeting, doll,” he reminds him.</p><p>“Right,” Tony pants. “Board meeting.” Slowly, he opens his eyes and smirks at Bucky. “If I leave the house wearing this, then when you bend me over the bed, you better not let me<em> leave</em> the bed until I’m wrecked.” He winks before stepping away again and slipping on his shirt. </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. My Shirt; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>18. "Are you wearing my shirt?"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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        <p>Tony likes to nest.</p>
        <p>Bucky knows this and he loves it. He loves watching Tony putter around their bedroom, gathering up comfortable pillows and soft blankets and flannel shirts and arranging them around their bed until he’s content. He loves it when Tony finally declares the nest perfect and then promptly throws himself into the middle of it all and rolls around, purring as he covers the nest in his scent. He loves climbing into their nest late at night, surrounded by the comforting scent of his mate as Tony scentmarks the pillows one last time before curling up on Bucky’s chest.</p>
        <p>Tony is an omega who’s had a long, hard life and now wants the little comforts that life can bring. Bucky would never want to begrudge him that.</p>
        <p>Still, it comes as a bit of a shock when he realizes that Tony has started to carry their nest with him. It starts actually on movie night when Tony carries his favorite blanket out to the living room, draped around his shoulders like a cape, so Bucky thinks he can be excused for taking a few weeks to realize that Tony is now wearing a fuzzy pair of socks that he could have sworn had taken up permanent residence under the omega’s pillow. He’s a little less excused for needing Pepper to point it out to him.</p>
        <p>“You can’t wear fuzzy socks to a board meeting,” Pepper argues exasperatedly. Bucky blinks twice as Tony growls and then leans back in his chair. Sure enough, that’s exactly what Tony is wearing. Now that Bucky is thinking about it, he’s fairly certain that Tony’s been wearing those practically every day for the last two weeks.</p>
        <p>His eyes narrow and he resolves to keep a closer watch on it.</p>
        <p>From the socks, it becomes a fuzzy bathrobe that Tony wears around the tower and then a pillowcase that he stuffs into his pocket when he goes out for the day. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Tony’s blackberry and vanilla scent hasn’t changed at all, Bucky might have suspected his omega to be expecting. But Tony doesn’t say anything and his scent <em>hasn’t</em> gone sweeter so he sets aside the thought.</p>
        <p>Even with the hints that Tony’s nesting habits have changed though, he isn’t expecting to walk into the kitchen one morning and find Tony wearing one of Bucky’s shirts and nothing else. For a moment, Bucky doesn’t even recognize the shirt, too arrested by the sight of his omega’s long legs. He lets his gaze travel up, over his calves to his thighs where a shirt too big for him rests over the swell of his ass.</p>
        <p>“Are-” he stops. “Are you wearing my shirt?”</p>
        <p>Tony glances behind him and winks. “Maybe,” he says cheekily.</p>
        <p>And <em>oh</em>, Bucky hadn’t known that this is a kink he has, that the sight of his omega in his shirt could arouse him like this. He growls lowly, rewarded when Tony’s Bambi eyes go big and dark. Prowling closer, he watches as Tony tracks him around the kitchen, still idly stirring the eggs.</p>
        <p>“Breakfast,” Tony whispers weakly. “The quiches will burn.”</p>
        <p>Bucky presses up behind him, grinds his cock into Tony’s ass, luxuriates in the way Tony keens. “So turn the oven off, doll,” he murmurs, biting at the bond mark on Tony’s neck. “Because you’re not moving from this spot until you’re stuck on my knot.”</p>
        <p>He runs his hand up the back of Tony’s leg, over one of his cheeks, and makes a startled sound when he realizes that the omega isn’t wearing <em>anything</em>beneath that shirt.</p>
        <p>“Wanted to smell like you,” Tony says, hand slapping at the button that’ll turn the oven.</p>
        <p>Bucky growls again, so turned on he can barely think. His fingers slide in ‘til he’s pressing at Tony’s hole, already dripping with slick. He pushes a finger in, testing the give of the omega’s body, unnecessary since Tony is already pliant and loose in his arms. His other hand slides up Tony’s chest to rest against the arc reactor, holding him against Bucky’s body.</p>
        <p>“Hold on,” he tells him. Then he draws his finger out, just a little, and when he shoves back in, he shoves with two fingers. Tony cries out, arching against him. And Bucky–Bucky doesn’t know if Tony’s going into an early heat or if there’s something else going on but it only takes a few thrusts of his fingers, gliding over Tony’s prostate, to have the omega coming in his arms, staining the inside of Bucky’s shirt white and painting the oven where the shirt buttons gape. </p>
        <p>Bucky moans, turns Tony around, and lifts him up. Even as orgasm-hazy as he is, Tony still has enough presence of mind to wrap his legs around Bucky’s waist. “I thought,” Tony pants as the alpha sets off for their bedroom, “you were going to knot me in the kitchen.”</p>
        <p>“Think I can do that just as well in our nest. You’ll look so pretty there, covered in my shirt, smelling like me.” Bucky kisses him, thrusts his tongue into his mouth the way he wants to with his cock. His hands knead at Tony’s ass; the omega shudders, dropping his head into the curve of Bucky’s neck, and Bucky can’t resist anymore.</p>
        <p>He walks them into a wall, pushing Tony into it, so he can slide his fingers back into Tony’s hole, bite at his bond mark. Tony sobs, hips rolling into Bucky’s. “What do you think, sweet thing?” Bucky asks. “Want me to knot you in our nest?”</p>
        <p>“You–<em>oh</em>–knot me in our nest–<em>Bucky!</em>–every night,” Tony manages to gasp out and yeah, that’s true but he’s never done it when Tony was wearing his clothes.</p>
        <p>“That’s not an answer,” he tells him.</p>
        <p>Tony swats weakly at his upper arm. “You useless alpha!” he snarls. “<em>Yes!</em>”</p>
        <p>“There,” Bucky coos, driving his fingers in viciously. “Was that so hard?” Tony looks like he’s going to bite him–and not in the fun way–but he <em>was</em> good so Bucky rewards him with another orgasm before picking him back up and continuing to the bedroom.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Keep Talking; ironfalcon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>36. "I'm so sick of your voice. Why don't you come over here and put your mouth to better use?"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For ad1thi on tumblr (sorry, this was supposed to be smutty)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony knows he talks too much and listens too little. He knows that what he says goes over people’s heads most of the time, that he talks ceaseless technobabble (at least, to everyone else; he understands what he’s saying just fine) and that what he says often comes off as brash and arrogant. He knows that most people don’t enjoy listening to him talk.</p><p>He just hadn’t thought that <em>most people</em> included Sam.</p><p>“Damn, can’t you shut up?” Sam asks, interrupting Tony’s stream of consciousness. And just like that, Tony’s world turns upside down.</p><p>He’s not looking at Sam, can’t see the disgusted expression on his face, but he freezes just the same. It’s clear just from his tone that Sam’s done with him and that–that hurts. He’d thought that Sam likes listening to him, doesn’t mind being used as a sounding board. He’d thought that their burgeoning relationship was doing okay. Turns out Sam’s just like everyone else.</p><p>“Tired of me already?” he asks lightly, forcing levity to his voice to mask the hurt. </p><p>“I’m so sick of your voice,” Sam tells him. Oh. So that’s how it is then.</p><p>He turns, fully intending to tell him to leave if he hates him that much. But then he takes one look at Sam and stops. Because Sam–Sam isn’t glaring. He doesn’t look disgusted. </p><p>Instead, there’s a lustful gleam in his eyes and he’s stroking at his bulge through his pants, legs spread wide to show off his thighs. Sam continues, “Why don’t you come over here and put your mouth to better use?”</p><p>Tony’s world turns upside down again. Sam’s not disgusted. He’s turned on, if Tony’s reading this situation correctly–by Tony’s…technobabble? Tony would be a little hot and bothered himself (no one’s <em>ever</em> been interested in his technobabble) if he weren’t so relieved.</p><p>Sam pauses, looking closer at him. “Tony?” he asks worriedly. “You okay?”</p><p>Tony nods quickly. “Yeah,” he assures him. “I’m fine. A blowjob, right?” </p><p>He starts to walk closer but Sam moves his hand away from his pants, stands up. “Tony, honey, you’re <em>crying</em>.”</p><p>Is he? He reaches up to touch his cheeks and oh, Sam’s right, he is. “I–” he begins helplessly and then stops. How does he tell his boyfriend (partner?) that he’d thought the worst of him.</p><p>Sam, however, seems to grasp it immediately. “I told you to shut up,” he gasps, suddenly horrified. “I didn’t mean–”</p><p>“I know you didn’t.”</p><p>“But you still thought it.”</p><p>And there’s nothing really that Tony can say to that because, well, he had. Sam still looks shaken but he reaches out anyway, pulls Tony into his arms. It’s nice but he still can’t help but feel like he doesn’t really deserve it after thinking that Sam would ever do something like that. </p><p>“I shouldn’t have thought it,” he says quietly.</p><p>Sam’s hand convulses on his back, pulling him that much closer. “No, honey, I shouldn’t have <em>said</em> it. We haven’t talked about sex and you couldn’t see my face. You were just so gorgeous. You know your whole face lights up when you’re talking about something you love? I wasn’t thinking, not that that’s any kind of reason.”</p><p>“You don’t really want me to shut up?” Tony asks, just to clarify.</p><p>“I <em>never</em> want you to shut up, not when it’s something you love. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interrupted you like that.”</p><p>“Oh,” Tony says quietly. Sam is a few inches taller than him so he ends up standing on his toes to kiss just under his jaw. Sam flushes, making Tony smile. “I forgive you.”</p><p>He waits a few more seconds to say, “Do you still want that blowjob?”</p><p>Sam huffs a quiet laugh. “Maybe once you’re feeling happier. For now–” He drops back onto the couch, pulling Tony into his lap. “For now, I think I just want to cuddle you instead.”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Tie; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>84. “I love it when you dress up for me.”</p><p>85. “Did you dress up just for me?”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony wears suits a lot–and not just the Iron Man one. For the most part, Steve loves the bespoke suits, with the exception maybe of the blue velvet one (although Tony agrees about the blue velvet, says it looks much better on Steve himself).</p><p>But as much as he likes the suits, he likes the ties Tony wears more. There’s just something about knowing that if Tony loosened the tie even a little bit, everyone would be able to see the marks Steve leaves on his neck. Tony put together in a suit and tie is a sight to behold but Tony in just the suit–or better yet, tie loosened and hanging around his neck–just about brings Steve to his knees.</p><p>Tony comes out of the closet in a grey bespoke suit and a blue and purple tie, adjusting the cufflinks on his sleeves. Steve stops dead, freezing on his way to the shower. He moves a little closer. His hand raises as though to to stroke the tie and then stops when he spots the sweat glistening on his fingertips.</p><p>“Is this…?” he starts to ask.</p><p>A slow smirk spreads across Tony’s face, telling Steve he knows exactly what he’s doing. “What, this old thing?”</p><p>Steve can’t resist any longer and he takes another step, moving right into Tony’s space. He runs his finger down the length of the tie, unable to hide a smile as Tony’s breath hitches. At the bottom of the tie, he wraps it around his hand, pulling it taut. Tony leans in, letting out a little whimper.</p><p>“You told me you would never wear it again,” he murmurs. “I got it for you for our wedding.”</p><p>“Mmhmm,” Tony hums. “And do you know what today is?”</p><p>“It’s our anniversary,” Steve says. The pieces suddenly fit together in his mind. “Did you dress up just for me?”</p><p>Tony sways forward again and breathes against Steve’s mouth, “Mmhmm. And that’s not the only surprise I’m wearing.”</p><p>Steve inhales sharply. The hand not knotted in Tony’s tie slides around his back, pulling him in against him. “Steve, you’re gonna ruin my suit,” Tony whines.</p><p>“Yeah I am,” Steve agrees. His hand slides down Tony’s back to the curve of his ass, kneading gently. “Because it’s our anniversary and I thought we had plans that definitely didn’t include you wearing a suit.”</p><p>“I have a press conference,” Tony purrs. Steve nods his understanding but pressing his fingers in between Tony’s cheeks, rubbing the fabric against his hole. Tony gasps but keeps going, “It was pretty last minute.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Steve mutters, tugging Tony’s tie closer.</p><p>“Pepper said I had to be there.”</p><p>Steve drops the tie and steps away.</p><p>“<em>No</em>,” Tony gasps.</p><p>“I’m not going against Pepper, sweetheart,” Steve says. “We’ve got dinner reservations tonight. I’ll see you then.”</p><p>“But–but what about my tie?”</p><p>Steve leans in, gives him a quick kiss. “I love it when you dress up for me and tonight, I’ll show you just how much.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Trust Me; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>9. Regency AU - One of them compromised the other</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>for kdm103020 over on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They grew up together.</p><p>Sarah had been a nursemaid for the baron’s son in exchange for a home and care for her own child. She had always suspected that the baron, cold and unfeeling, would have turned them away but his omega wife had been known for her bleeding heart and agreed to raise Steven beside her beloved Anthony.</p><p>They had grown up together in that nursery, as friends and companions, often butting heads but always coming back together and always, <em>always</em>, united together against the combined forces of their mothers. Tony had admired Steve for his bravery and stubbornness and Steve, in turn, had admired Tony for his sharp wit and intellect. They adored each other and that childlike adoration might have turned to something more if it hadn’t been for Steve presenting as an alpha during his thirteenth year.</p><p>It had been a surprise to everyone, most of all Steve, who had always thought that his poor health wouldn’t allow for such a designation. Alphas were meant to be big and strong, the protectors of their families, not…him.</p><p>And it might still have not been a problem if it hadn’t been for the baron insisting that Steve move out of Tony’s room. “It was barely acceptable when they were children,” he had raged. “It’s absolutely out of the question now.”</p><p>Steve hadn’t understood the decision back then though he would come to know later that even then, when Tony had still been three years from his own presentation, the baron and baroness had known Tony would present as an omega. At the time though, all he had known was that he was being asked to leave the rooms he had grown up in and, more importantly, asked to leave his closest friend. He and his mother had moved in to a small house in the gardens of the manor home and life had gone on.</p><p>Tony had still visited him, at least once a day. To Steve’s surprise, the fresh air had done wonders for him and, as he matured, he grew into the strong, tall alpha he had always dreamed of being. Their friendship strengthened, untouched by the baron’s rages or the distance between them, might have blossomed into something more if the baron hadn’t forcibly enlisted Steve into the army the day after Tony presented.</p><p>Steve hadn’t even known until the officers had come for him. He could have put up a fight. By that point, he was taller than even the tallest among them and stronger, he suspected, than most of them combined. But he hadn’t fought, not when Tony was standing in the doorway with his arms wrapped forlornly around himself. He hadn’t wanted Tony to think poorly of him. He knew how much Tony hated it when he fought.</p><p>He had said his goodbyes, first to his mother and then to Tony, who had spent ages fussing with his saddlebags. Tony had pulled him down, pressed his forehead against Steve’s, and asked for a promise that Steve would never forget him.</p><p>How could he? Tony had been everything to him and when they had stopped for the night and he had reached into his bags for the bread his mother had packed for him, he’d found a small handkerchief at the bottom of the bag, embroidered with a small T.S. He had raised it to his nose, scented lavender and blackberries, and smiled to himself. He would never forget Tony.</p><hr/><p>He comes home years later, months after Sarah passes, to a home that smells musty and a little bit like sickness. He’s a decorated captain now, highly respected by his superiors and well-loved by those serving under him. Steve has had offers for his by now, from young omegas looking for a comfortable life and their mothers hoping for the status that comes from their children mating a war hero. He turns them all down though, still remembering Tony.</p><p>They had exchanged letters throughout the years, always brief, always airy. Steve hadn’t had much free time to write longer letters and Tony had always been terrible at writing, mind too scattered to sit down and pay attention. Still, he thinks he has a good idea of what’s been going on at the manor these last few years, which is why it so surprises him when he hears the patter of running feet, catches a whiff of lavender and blackberries, and then his door is thrown open and someone is throwing themself into his arms.</p><p>He nearly attacks them, instincts honed after years in the army, but his hand stays still long enough to recognize the scent and the dark curls tucked under his chin.</p><p>Tony.</p><p>Tony is in his arms and Steve won’t lie to himself. He’s often wondered what it would be like to have Tony for his own though as he’d gotten older, he’d stopped thinking about it as much, uncomfortable with the thought when the last time he had seen the omega, Tony had been barely older than a child. </p><p>“You’re here,” Tony sobs. “You’re really here.”</p><p>“Tony?” he asks, stepping away so he can get a closer look at him. His first glimpse of the omega after almost ten years has his breath leaving him in a sharp gasp and about lays him out on the floor. Tony is <em>lovely</em>, all big brown eyes and soft curls and cupid’s bow lips that makes Steve want to pull him right back into his arms and place teasing kisses over his mouth until the omega is trembling for him.</p><p>It takes him a moment to realize that Tony is already shaking but not in pleasure, if the fear in his eyes is anything to go off of. “Tony, what’s wrong?” he asks sharply. “Are you hurt?”</p><p>“No,” Tony breathes, shaking his head. “Howard…” He stops and has to catch his breath. “Howard has promised me to Viscount Stone. I had hoped-”</p><p>He stops again and Steve isn’t certain what he had planned to say next, not that it matters. His mind is stuck on Viscount Stone, who has taken several omega brides over the last several years, all of whom have died mysteriously. Rumors abound in London about his harsh, cruel ways, rumors that are only rumors because no one wants to jail a viscount. Steve can’t - he <em>won’t</em> - see Tony married to a man like that.</p><p>“What can I do to help?” he asks immediately.</p><p>“You would…? Steve, you don’t even know me anymore,” Tony points out.</p><p>“I know enough.”</p><p>Tony looks close to tears again and Steve reaches out to pull him into a comforting hug, sparing only a thought for how perfect the little omega feels in his embrace. This isn’t the time to be thinking such a thing.</p><p>“I had hoped to hide here,” Tony whispers. “But he found out about it too soon. He’s sent people after me and they’re on horses. I’m just on foot. I can’t escape them, I won’t be fast enough.”</p><p>Sure enough, if Steve strains his ears, he can hear hoofbeats coming up the trail. There isn’t time to hide Tony and besides, he doubts he would be able to in this tiny cottage. But there is something…</p><p>“Tony, do you trust me?” he asks urgently, drawing back so he can see Tony’s face.</p><p>“Steve, what-?”</p><p>“Do. You. Trust. Me?” he bites out. The horses are getting closer, close enough that he can smell the alphas Howard had sent after his wayward son.</p><p>Tony smiles, small and helpless. “Always,” he breathes. </p><p>Steve pulls him back in and slants his mouth over Tony’s perfect lips, kissing him passionately as the door slams open.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Long Ride Back; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>11. Old West AU - Person A needs money to pay off their debtors, Person B needs a spouse for decency’s sake. Also, there are horses.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by ad1thi over on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony hadn’t meant to end up so deeply in debt but when his father had died, leaving behind nothing but defaulted loans and a failing business, he had had no choice but to turn to the money lenders. He had thought he would be able to turn the business around, earn all that money back, but no one wanted to buy weapons from an omega, even a Stark. He was at his wit’s end, even further into debt and homeless and absolutely, utterly hopeless.</p><p>“I have an idea,” Clint told him.</p><p>“An idea,” Tony repeated doubtfully. The last time Clint had an idea, Tony had ended up so drunk, he’d wandered straight into the Hudson. Natasha had had to fish him out.</p><p>“A <em>good</em> idea,” Clint revised. Somehow, that didn’t fill Tony with confidence.</p><p>Even Natasha, who Clint had somehow talked into mating with him, looked doubtful. “Are you sure it’s a good idea?”</p><p>“Bucky.”</p><p>Tony wasn’t entirely certain what that was supposed to mean but Natasha’s face cleared right away. She turned to Tony. “Clint has a good idea,” she told him.</p><p>He arched a doubting eyebrow at her. She smiled primly back at him. “Bucky Barnes,” she explained. “Old friend of ours, traveled west before we met you-”</p><p>“-on account of his injuries,” Clint cut in.</p><p>Natasha winced. “He was captured by the rebs during the war. Held prisoner until the surrender at Appomattox. Bucky’s been recovering out west at his father’s farm. He has a ranch and several herds of cattle…and he’s looking for an omega. Apparently, the nearby settlers disapprove of his bachelor lifestyle and he wants to make nice with them but he doesn’t want an omega who doesn’t know what they’re getting themselves into.”</p><p>“And you think I’m a good choice?” Tony asked, even more doubtful.</p><p>“Pretty omega,” Natasha said with a teasing smile. She bussed a kiss onto his cheek. “I think you’re a terrible choice. You’ll do nothing but scandalize those old settlers. But - and this is the important part - he’s the kind of alpha who’d be willing to pay off those debts of yours and you’re the kind of omega who won’t mind he’s down an arm.”</p><p>Three months later, Tony still wasn’t sure how he had gotten from that conversation to him standing on the train platform, shielding his eyes from the bright Texas sun as a tall, strong alpha (and yes, missing an arm though Tony was still certain he’d be able to pin Tony against the wall one handed) astride a huge grey horse looked down at him.</p><p>“I’m Bucky,” the alpha rumbled and <em>oh</em> but Bucky had the kind of voice that made Tony weak in the knees. “And you, pretty thing, must be Tony.”</p><p>Tony was pretty sure that he squeaked. Bucky grinned at him and held out a hand. “Come on. It’s a long ride back to the house.”</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A Trick; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>20. Fae AU - The Fae King (Person A) tricks Person B into eating something in Faerie.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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        <p>Odin doesn’t approve of his son’s human lovers. Thor has had many over the millennia and Odin doesn’t often remember what it had been that had made each one matter so much to his son but even he knows that there’s something different about Tony.</p>
        <p>Thor is soft with this human in a way that he hasn’t been before. Tony tempers his angry edges, brings him back down to earth (or at least as down to earth as the fae can be). The human even manages to get along with Loki and that’s a feat that few have achieved. It doesn’t matter though. Odin doesn’t like him for the simple crime of being a human and that means that he’ll never allow them to wed.</p>
        <p>His decision makes Thor angry with him, fuming for days over what he perceives to be unfair. One day, Odin reasons with himself, when he is king, Thor will understand. He will see that humans are fickle and false and certainly not a good choice for his son’s queen.</p>
        <p>But then comes the day when Tony gets sick.</p>
        <p>Thor bursts into the ballroom, holding a limp Tony cradled in his arms. “Father, help!” he calls. “He’s dying!”</p>
        <p>“Dying?” Frigga repeats, alarmed. She half-rises from her seat. “Of what?”</p>
        <p>“Of…” Thor flounders. “Some human disease, I don’t know what.”</p>
        <p>“Really,” Odin repeats dubiously. He isn’t so sure that the human is sick so soon after he turned down their request to wed. He rises as well, making his way down the dais to his son. Frigga follows behind him, unsurprising as she is Faerie’s best healer and will be needed if Tony truly is ill. Odin doubts it though. Thor clutches Tony closer to him, cementing Odin’s suspicions in his mind. “You don’t even know what your human lover is dying of?” He runs a hand over the human’s forehead. He feels a little hot but surely that’s normal for a human. The fae, after all, run cold.</p>
        <p>Then Tony rolls in Thor’s arms and is sick all over Odin’s shoes.</p>
        <p>“Ah,” Odin says distastefully. “I see. Take him out back. I’m sure the dragons would like to have him.”</p>
        <p>“<em>Father!</em>” Thor gasps, horrified. He pulls Tony back in to him like he thinks he can protect the little human from Odin’s wrath.</p>
        <p>“Humans die, Thor,” Odin spits out. “That’s what they do.”</p>
        <p>Loki is watching them bicker with an odd little gleam in his eyes that would have Odin worried if it weren’t for the fact that that odd little gleam is there all the time. He pipes up now, saying, “He doesn’t have to die right now though. The last time I was in the human realm, I heard of a miraculous medicine, known to cure all mortal ills. The humans call it Chicken Soup.”</p>
        <p>“Whatever,” Odin mutters, waving a weary hand. If his children want to try some ridiculous remedy in a futile attempt to cure their dying human, then let them try. They’ll learn soon enough it will be pointless.</p>
        <p>He starts to climb back up to his throne and then stops. The thing is, he’s heard that name before…chicken soup…chicken…soup. He gasps and whirls back around, commanding, “<em>Stop!</em>” But it’s too late. Loki has already conjured up the dish, already poured it down Tony’s throat, and Tony - looking like he hadn’t been sick even a little bit - is sitting up.</p>
        <p>Thor sets Tony down and on perfectly steady legs, color already returning to his cheeks, the human makes his way through the crowd to stand right in front of the faerie king. He bows low, saying mockingly, “My liege.”</p>
        <p>He’s been tricked, Odin realizes. Even as he’s furious with his sons, as he gazes down at his newest subject, he can’t help but feel a little proud. He’s been tricked - and the fae <em>love</em> a good trick.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Safe Passage; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>17. Viking AU - Person A is traded to the Vikings for safe passage and is subsequently married to the jarl’s oldest child, Person B.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon on tumblr</p><p>A little dark but I had fun writing it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rumors had it vikings ruled these parts. Tony hadn’t believed it when the sailors on his father’s ship had first told him. He believes it now.</p><p>He looks up at the great, hulking beast of a man currently talking to his father. He wishes he could ask their translator what’s being said but they only have one and Yinsen is already with his father. Tony isn’t allowed close enough to overhear what’s being said so he has to make do with facial expressions. Unfortunately, his father’s back is turned to him and the Viking’s face is impassive. They could be discussing what they had for breakfast for all he knows.</p><p>A couple times he sees them look over at him. Each time he straightens up the way his mother had taught him. He can still hear her voice even after all these years: <em>a good omega is always prim and proper</em>. Well, Tony isn’t much of a prim and proper omega but - he gulps as he glances around the ship; his father’s men had fought bravely but they had been no match for the battle-hardened Vikings - but he can put on a brave front. He doesn’t know why it’s so important that he’s there however, the least he can do is smile demurely and look as calm as an omega should in the face of such turmoil.</p><p>Howard waves him over and Tony goes. Much to his surprise, Howard meets him halfway, embracing him tightly, an action which is unusual for his strict father. “We’ve made a deal with the jarl for safe passage,” Howard breathes into his ear.</p><p>“That’s wonderful,” Tony says, more confused than ever.</p><p>“Don’t worry. We’ll present our case before the Bains.”</p><p>Tony frowns. Why would they need to-</p><p>Someone grabs hold of his arm, starting to pull him away. He yelps, as much as in fear as pain. Howard pulls him back in. “We’ll come back for you. This isn’t forever.”</p><p>“What?” he cries as he’s ripped away. He looks up into the face of the Viking holding onto his arm. He struggles, trying to break away but the Viking is too strong. Tony is passed off to another Viking, one who binds his hands together with cruel rope and heaves him over his shoulder. “Father!”</p><p>But Howard only watches impassively as he’s carried from the ship. </p><hr/><p>Tony is blindfolded not far from the ship. He knows that he’s carried some distance though he’s unsure how far that may be. Eventually, he’s dropped to a hard wooden floor, wincing as his knees impact the ground.</p><p>He hears someone ask a question and the Viking who’d taken him answers. Someone rips his blindfold off and Tony blinks. Even the low light of the room is jarring when he’s been blinded for hours. He looks around at the men in the room, unsure of what is going on. He can make out a rough sort of hierarchy, judging by the relative heights of the tables in the room (<em>a dining area</em>, his brain supplies). The highest-most table is occupied by only two men: a blond alpha, sitting up straight, and a brunet alpha, who is slouching in his chair. The brunet opens his mouth, repeats his question. Tony recognizes the voice of the one who’d spoken earlier.</p><p>The Viking jarl gestures at him and calls him something. Even Tony knows this word: spoils of war. But his father hadn’t been at war with them and Tony is not a thing.</p><p>Much to his surprise, the brunet alpha laughs. “You must be joking,” he says, abruptly switching to Tony’s language.</p><p>The jarl says something else in his native tongue. Tony doesn’t know if it’s that he just doesn’t know Tony’s language or if he doesn’t want to speak it.</p><p>“I am already married, Father,” the brunet replies and gestures to the blond alpha beside him. Tony looks at him in surprise. Marriages between alphas are rare and it’s rarer still to find two male alphas who are unable to have children.</p><p>Another sentence from the jarl.</p><p>“Look at him!” the brunet snaps, sitting up in his chair now. He gestures at Tony and Tony suddenly wonders if it was such a kindness that the brunet is speaking in his tongue. “Is he even old enough to wed?”</p><p>Tony flushes. He may look young but he is old enough, old enough to be promised to the Bains’ oldest alpha child. “I can speak for myself,” he says, startling everyone but most of all himself.</p><p>The brunet alpha looks at him and leans back in his chair, a lazy, indolent smirk spreading across his face. “So the mouse can fight back,” he drawls.</p><p>“I am not a mouse,” Tony spits. “And I am old enough to wed, you worthless knothead.”</p><p>The brunet shoves away from the table, standing abruptly. The blond alpha reaches out a hand to stop him but he just shrugs him off. He stalks around the table, fury emanating from every inch of his body.</p><p>“What did you call me?” the alpha growls, coming close enough to Tony that he can scent the anger rolling off of him.</p><p>Not a native speaker then, Tony figures. Possibly studied his language but not enough to know the insults. Tony opens his mouth to repeat the phrase but, quick as a flash, the alpha draws his blade, the point kissing Tony’s throat as he raises Tony’s chin to look at him.</p><p>Tony’s never been so close to death before and it terrifies him. His father had sent him below before the battle with the jarl. He keeps a slender dagger hidden in the sashes at his waist but he’s only barely trained in how to use it. He trembles, remembering that his father had said they were coming back for him. He just has to hold on for their return.</p><p>“Thank you,” he says instead, “for your kindness in speaking my language.”</p><p>The blade doesn’t disappear from his throat. “Ah little mouse,” the alpha chuckles. “That was no kindness. That was so that you would know your fate.”</p><p>“A kindness unknowingly given is still a kindness,” Tony quips, reciting something that his mother had often said. To his surprise, something like respect flashes in the alpha’s grey eyes but it disappears quickly enough into an indulgent expression.</p><p>“Don’t you want to know what your fate is?” the alpha asks. Tony doesn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing. The alpha sheathes his sword and crouches down, drawing his finger along the cupid’s bow of Tony’s lips as he croons, “You’re to be my omega bride to warm my bed.”</p><p>Tony bites him.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. My Queen; Tony/all</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>1. Royalty AU - Promised at birth</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony comes awake to kisses being placed along the line of his shoulders. He yawns and stretches before pillowing his head on his arms again. “Mmm good morning,” he mumbles.</p><p>“Good morning, my queen,” Thor replies warmly, starting to move his kisses down Tony’s back.</p><p>Tony squirms, enjoying the delicious friction of Thor’s beard on his delicate skin. “Where’s Natasha?” he asks. Sometimes, the redhaired alpha doesn’t mind being in the room when Tony is being knotted but most of the time, it makes her uncomfortable, especially when it’s sprung on her like this.</p><p>“In the kitchens. She and James wanted to make you a special breakfast.” Thor shifts down Tony’s body, bringing the blankets with him. Goosebumps spring to his skin and he shivers. “Are you cold, my queen?” Thor asks. He pulls his lips away and crawls back over Tony’s body, leaning down to let him feel his warmth.</p><p>“And Steve and T’Challa?”</p><p>Thor catches Tony’s earlobe in between his teeth, pulling at it gently. Tony gasps softly, feeling his hole start to slick with the spark of pain. “Clearing your schedule. No distractions for your birthday.”</p><p>“So you get the hard job, huh?” Tony snarks but he relaxes into Thor’s embrace, tilting his head for his husband to lick at his bonding spot.</p><p>“Yes,” Thor says dryly. “It’s such a hardship keeping you sated and blissful and full.” His hand reaches down between their bodies, testing where Tony is slick and swollen from Steve and Bucky’s attention last night. “They used you hard, I see.”</p><p>“Mmhmm,” Tony says, luxuriating in the feeling of Thor’s thick finger sliding into his body.</p><p>Thor groans, thrusting that single finger in and out slowly. “So tight, my queen.” He feathers scratchy kisses across Tony’s nape and Tony just knows that he’ll have a rash there later. Tony whines quietly at the thought.</p><p>“Thor,” he whispers. “Want you.”</p><p>“I know,” Thor assures him. The next time he pushes his finger in, it’s joined by another finger. “So wet. Do I make you feel good?”</p><p>“Always.” Tony rolls his hips slowly, forward into the bed and back onto Thor’s fingers. Thor places another kiss on the nape of his neck, aggravating the already sensitive skin and making Tony whimper. </p><p>“I have missed you, Anthony,” Thor murmurs. “Two weeks have been too long to be away from your sweet embrace.”</p><p>Tony hides his grin in the sheets. He had never thought he would get something like this when Howard had announced his marriage to five alphas once he came of age. He had never thought that he would find five people willing to love him and dote on him and say things like they missed him when they were parted. “Such a sweet talker.”</p><p>“I leave you to tour our holdings, ride my horse hard so I won’t miss your birthday, and come back to such sass. Perhaps you have not been used as hard as you claim.” Thor pushes three fingers back in, jabbing viciously at Tony’s prostate until he cries out. “My queen, I am hurt. Did you not miss me?”</p><p>Tony shoves himself up onto his elbows, turning his head so he can place a hard kiss on Thor’s lips. Thor kisses him back, demanding and insistent, claiming possession of Tony’s mouth just as he possesses him in every other way.</p><p>“My mate,” Tony moans as he crests the wave of his orgasm, spurred on by Thor’s tongue in his mouth and his fingers in his wet hole, their bond humming at the edge of his mind and the way his husband surrounds him, keeping him safe and content. As he starts to come back down, Thor pulls his fingers from his body, licking at them until they shine with spit and slick. Tony’s cock gives another feeble twitch but ultimately stays down.</p><p>“You didn’t knot me,” he whines, making grabby hands at Thor until his husband gathers him up into his arms and rolls over so that Tony is sprawled across his chest.</p><p>“So demanding,” Thor teases. “I have all day to knot you and if not I, then T’Challa or Steven or James. And Natasha is planning a magnificent feast for you. You have everything you could possibly want.”</p><p>“I don’t have this,” Tony grumbles, reaching behind him to gather up his own slick and using it to smooth his hand over Thor’s cock. Thor groans and Tony smirks as he raises himself off Thor’s chest, lines his cock up with his hole, and slides down. He throws his head back and keens at the stretch. Thor is big and his fingers don’t always stretch him out enough. “It’s my birthday and that means that when I want a knot, I get it. Not later, not from one of my other mates; now, from you.”</p><p>“My queen,” Thor rumbles, hands coming up to fit around his waist. “Anything.”</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Small; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>48. One person has to bend down in order to kiss their partner, who is standing on their tip-toes to reach their partner’s.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by in-umbria-gratia on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony isn’t really snack-sized. Steve knows that, despite Clint’s constant jokes. But 5′9″ doesn’t really compare to Steve’s own 6′2″ and Tony is definitely less built than Steve is. When he holds him, his hands just about fit around Tony’s waist and that - that’s a kink he never knew he had.</p><p>There’s something special though about having to lean down to kiss Tony, something that makes Steve feel big and powerful and makes Tony, much to his surprise, feel safe. Tony’s never tried to explain the feeling beyond a simple “I didn’t think I would like it but I do. I like <em>you</em>.” And then he’d pulled Steve down for another kiss and the conversation had ended real quick after that.</p><p>Steve has a mission this morning with Nat and Clint, a stealth incursion into a possible HYDRA cell in Eastern Europe. Tony had pouted about not being allowed to go but the suit, no matter what upgrades the genius makes to it, is not stealthy. For that matter, neither is Tony himself.</p><p>“I could be stealthy,” Tony grumbles from his stool where he’s hunched protectively over his cup of coffee. He’d been like that ever since Steve had come in, claiming that Clint likes to steal it. Steve’s never seen Clint even <em>try</em> to steal it but he doesn’t bother arguing with a grumpy and sleep-rumbled (adorable) Tony.</p><p>“No you can’t, sweetheart,” Steve tells him, bending down to drop a quick kiss on the top of his head. He grabs his ID and his phone off the counter and starts to leave. He’s already running late but Tony had been a lovely distraction this morning.</p><p>“Hey, wait,” Tony protests. “You’re forgetting something.”</p><p>“I am?” Steve asks confusedly. He’s got an extra protein bar in his pocket, his phone, his ID…</p><p>Tony slithers off the stool and stands in front of him. He reaches up to lock his hands around Steve’s neck, pulling him down. Like this, with Steve in his combat boots and Tony barefoot, Tony has to stand all the way on his tiptoes to brush a soft kiss across Steve’s lips.</p><p>“You can’t leave without a kiss. It’s against the law.”</p><p>“Is it now,” Steve states with an amused smile. He fits his hands around Tony’s waist and kisses him again, bending down to lessen the strain on his love’s neck. Tony hums his agreement, kissing him slow and lazy until Steve’s phone beeps with an impatient text from Nat.</p><p>“I have to go,” Steve murmurs.</p><p>Tony sighs and releases him. “I know,” he says. “Hurry back, darling. Love you.”</p><p>Steve smiles and kisses him one last time. “Love you too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Salt on His Cheeks; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>39. Kissing tears from the other’s face.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by krzyktty101 on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Steve, it hurts,” Tony whimpers.</p><p>“I know,” Steve says, desperately trying not to wince as Tony’s hand clutches even tighter. “I know, sweetheart.”</p><p>He avoids looking at the rebar going through Tony’s leg, pinning Tony - and the armor - to the ground. The armor’s strong, supposed to be capable of withstanding anything but it had shredded under the weight of the rebar like tissue paper. Steve can’t see past the mess of blood and metal but he prays to whoever might be listening that the armor isn’t digging into Tony’s leg. <em>Please spare him that at least.</em></p><p>“You’re doing so well, honey,” Steve assures him, brushing sweat and dirt off of Tony’s face. “Clint says the medics are almost here.”</p><p>“Okay,” Tony agrees quietly, face white as a sheet.</p><p>They’ve taken worse hits before - <em>Tony</em> has taken worse hits before (the thing with the dragon comes to mind) - but he’s never seen Tony cry like this before. Tony doesn’t cry (<em>Stark men are made of iron</em>), not even when the dragon had nearly cooked him alive in the armor, but even so, the tears are rolling down his cheeks. Steve squeezes his hand comfortingly, wishing helplessly that there’s more he can do.</p><p>“You’re gonna be okay,” Steve promises him. It’s true, it has to be, because - because Steve doesn’t know what he’s going to do if he loses Tony too. He bends down, kisses the salty tears away from Tony’s cheeks.</p><p>There’s a commotion nearby. Steve doesn’t turn to look but it doesn’t matter because the commotion comes to them. SHIELD medics push him out of the way to begin working on Tony. It tears at Steve’s heart to hear his love cry out like this and it’s all he can do to say reassuring words as Tony is lifted onto a stretcher and flown out.</p><hr/><p>“Captain Rogers?” the nurse asks. He blinks blearily at her, exhausted from long hours in the medbay’s waiting area. “He’s asking for you.”</p><p>“Oh,” Steve breathes, climbing to his feet. He’d known already that the procedure to remove the rebar had gone well. The last couple hours have been spent waiting as Tony rests in Dr. Cho’s Cradle as it rebuilds the torn muscles and skin. He looks at the team, still seated. “Are you-?”</p><p>“Nah,” Clint says casually though he still appears worried. “You go first.”</p><p>He follows the nurse down the hallway. “He needs rest,” she tells him. “You should be the only visitor he has tonight.”</p><p>“The team won’t like that,” he warns.</p><p>She smirks as they stop in front of a plain grey door. “I can handle that.” He’s left alone to open the door and step inside.</p><p>Tony is laying on the bed, leg elevated to continue the healing, IV hooked up to his arm. It’s a lot better than the times when Steve’s been in here and Tony’s been connected to numerous machines and tubes that Steve couldn’t even name. The arc reactor is whirring softly under his gown, reassuring Steve that his love is okay.</p><p>“Hey,” he says softly.</p><p>Tony brightens up immediately. “You came!”</p><p>“Of course I came. Did you think I wouldn’t?” Sometimes, Tony’s insecurities get the best of him but Steve had thought they’ve been together long enough to not have to worry about this at least.</p><p>“I did. But I thought maybe I’d be asleep.” His head lolls back on the pillows. “I’m tired.”</p><p>Steve sits down beside him, gently removing Tony’s phone from his hand so he can hold it. “You should get some sleep.”</p><p>As if on cue, Tony yawns before nodding sleepily. “I’m on so many drugs, Steve.” Steve laughs and leans over to kiss Tony’s cheek, taking pleasure in the fact that it no longer tastes of salt.</p><p>“Sleep, sweetheart. I’m here.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Sweeter than Donuts; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>16. One person pouting, only to have it removed by a kiss from the other person.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sweet thing.”</p><p>“Doll.”</p><p>“Honey.”</p><p>“Tony, I didn’t mean to eat the last donut,” Bucky entreated, giving his boyfriend pleading eyes. “You gotta understand that.”</p><p>Tony breaks his silence long enough to say, “You promised me a donut and instead you ate three. You are not forgiven.”</p><p>Bucky hears a snicker and he snaps, “Stop laughing.” When the snickering doesn’t stop, he throws a knife in the direction of the laugh. Clint yelps and scrambles away from the open vent.</p><p>Tony watches him go impassively. “Tasha’s not gonna like you throwing knives at Clint.”</p><p>“Clint shouldn’t have been laughing at me,” Bucky replies unapologetically. He moves around the table so he can see Tony’s big wet eyes and absolutely lethal pout. Seriously, they should just show Tony’s pout to supervillains; they’d give up their evil plans right then and there.</p><p>“You promised me a donut if I went running with you every day for the last week,” Tony grumbles. “I lost out on engineering time for that. I lost out on sleep. I got yelled at by Pepper for missing a board meeting.”</p><p>“You missed a board meeting?” Bucky asks, startled. “Doll, why didn’t you say something? We could’ve rescheduled our run.”</p><p>Tony sulks lower in his chair, crossing his arms. “Didn’t want to.”</p><p>Bucky doesn’t smile because that would just make the whole situation worse but it’s a near thing. “Tell you what,” he promises, “you go running with me right now and I’ll buy you two donuts on the way home.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“We’ll even go by that weird place with the specialty donuts you like so much,” Bucky wheedles.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“How ‘bout I sweeten the deal with a kiss?”</p><p>“…No.”</p><p>Bucky grins. Even that slight hesitation means he’s won. He leans forward, kissing Tony gently. He hasn’t gotten a good morning kiss <em>or</em> a finally-awake-from-coffee kiss yet, what with Tony pouting over the loss of the donuts so he has to make this one amazing. He nuzzles at Tony’s lips until they’re parting for him on a soft sigh. He licks inside, tasting the sugary coffee Tony favors at breakfast (a monstrosity as Sam calls it but what does Sam know?). It takes a minute but Tony eventually kisses him back, his hand sliding up Bucky’s chest to cup his neck and hold him close.</p><p>When he finally pulls back, Tony’s eyes are closed, a content smile playing around the corners of his lips. “Sweetest thing I ever tasted, doll,” Bucky swears.</p><p>Tony opens his eyes, no longer pouting though his smile turns wickedly devious as he asks, “Sweeter than those donuts you ate?” He snatches the baseball cap from Bucky’s head and sets it on his own head as he heads out the door, whistling jauntily.</p><p>“So that’s it?” Bucky asks, getting up and following him. “I’m forgiven if I buy you two donuts?”</p><p>“Three!” Tony calls back.</p><p>“Two and I’ll let you finish half of mine!”</p><p>“Four!”</p><p>“That’s not how bargaining works!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Coming Home; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>47. A kiss paired with a tight hug, knocking the breath out of the person being hugged.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony doesn’t often go on business trips. He doesn’t like the jetlag and sleeping in a new bed is the worst and he hates being away from Steve. Mostly, he hates being away from Steve. Course, he doesn’t always have an option and when Pepper had asked him to meet with the Japanese investors, he had said yes because he was the only person on the board who spoke fluent Japanese and wouldn’t need a translator.</p><p>He’s home now, finally grabbing his bags from the carousel. He isn’t sure why the bags had gotten mixed up so that his flight’s had ended up one carousel over instead of the one they were supposed to be at (and almost an hour after his flight had landed too) but they had. He checks his phone again even though Steve’s text hasn’t changed.</p><p><em>Parked in Garage 2. Didn’t feel like dealing with the line for departures pickup.</em> </p><p>Tony chances a glance outside. He doesn’t blame Steve. The area is a madhouse. Still, he can’t stop himself from checking, hoping that he’ll get to see Steve just a few seconds earlier. When he doesn’t see the Roadster, he sighs and shoulders his bag, heading for the escalator, starting a text to tell Steve he’s on his way out.</p><p>He’s about halfway down when he hears his name. At first, he just dismisses it. There are an awful lot of Tonys in the world, after all. There’s enough people in the area that any number of them could be named Tony. Then he hears someone shouting for Iron Man. He looks up from his phone, expecting to see a fan he’ll need to smile and wave at. Instead he sees-</p><p>He sees Steve.</p><p><em>Steve</em> is standing in the lobby, waiting for him, waving his arms frantically like the dork he is. Tony smiles tentatively and waves back, scarcely able to believe it. </p><p>He steps off the elevator and it’s like it came out of a movie. The crowd parts perfectly just so he can see Steve break into a run - Tony breaks into one of his own- they collide together, Steve catching him up into a tight hug that literally takes Tony’s breath away. Tony wiggles his arms free, dropping his bag on the floor so he can hug Steve back.</p><p>“You’re back,” Steve mumbles into his hair, pressing kisses onto his head. “Oh sweetheart, I missed you.”</p><p>“I missed you too,” Tony admits. He hasn’t wanted to tell himself that because it only makes the longing and loneliness worse but he has missed him.</p><p>Steve pulls away long enough to place kisses on his closed eyelids, across his cheeks, and finally on his lips. Tony sighs happily. Steve tastes familiar, like home, like the donuts Clint insists on keeping in the tower and the sweet tea Bruce likes so much and just a little bit like paint water since Steve can’t keep his mugs straight. It’s a terrible taste - and Tony has missed it.</p><p>“i missed you,” Steve says again, breathing the words against his lips. “No more leaving without me. You want to go on a trip, you take me with you.”</p><p>The words send a thrill through Tony’s heart but he can’t help but point out, “What about Captain America?”</p><p>“If the world can do without Iron Man for a few weeks, I think they can handle Captain America not there.”</p><p>It probably isn’t true. Nat’s probably going to talk them out of that idea as soon as they get home. But Steve’s kissing him and holding him close and Tony can’t bring himself to care.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Wet Kisses; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>25. Wet kisses after finding refuge from the rain.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by tonysbuttplug on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their date isn’t supposed to end like this. Bucky’s supposed to take Tony for a walk along the pier, maybe end up at a couple carnival games that he knows how to cheat (thanks, Clint), hopefully get a kiss when he finally drops Tony back off at his apartment. It’s their first date. It’s supposed to be perfect.</p><p>They’re not supposed to be huddled under an awning as they watch the rain pour down.</p><p>Summer storms are unfortunately frequent but the forecast had called for clear skies all the way until next Tuesday so Bucky hadn’t bothered grabbing either a jacket or an umbrella. Apparently, neither had Tony.</p><p>“Well this sucks,” Bucky grouses, psyching himself up to step back out into the rain to hail a taxi. </p><p>Tony shrugs though the way that he’s shivering belies his casual appearance. “It could be-”</p><p>Lightning lights up the sky followed by a loud crack of thunder. The rain starts coming down harder, the wind blowing hard enough that it’s all but pushing the rain sideways. Within seconds, even under their awning, the two are soaked.</p><p>“I’m sorry, were you going to say ‘worse?’“ Bucky asks sarcastically.</p><p>To his surprise, Tony bursts out laughing. Bucky watches him bemusedly, not sure what’s so funny when they’re cold and wet and their perfect date is ruined but Tony has a lovely laugh and he’s gorgeous when he’s smiling like this so he can’t really complain about the view.</p><p>“Sorry, it’s just you - you look like a drowned rat,” Tony gasps out before doubling back over in laughter.</p><p>“Wow, thanks.”</p><p>But Bucky gets it. They both look like utter messes, too drenched to even consider stepping inside. Bucky wouldn’t do that to some poor shopkeeper who’ll have to clean up after them. He looks over at Tony, who’s still giggling at him and, yeah, they do kind of look like drowned rats. But Tony, with his rain-dampened curls and brown eyes sparkling with mirth, is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen and so he doesn’t even try to stop himself when he reaches out to pull Tony into his arms.</p><p>Tony, nestled against his chest, stops laughing and gazes up at him. Bucky hasn’t always understand the term star-struck but the look in Tony’s eyes, adoring and soft - he thinks get gets it now. “Hey,” Tony says quietly, beaming at him.</p><p>“Hey,” Bucky replies. He brushes Tony’s hair off his forehead, cups his cheeks, and bends down to kiss him. Tony is wet, his lips slick with rain, but Bucky is wet too so who cares? He’s got Tony pressed up against him, kissing the raindrops from his lips. Nothing else matters.</p><p>“That was nice,” Tony says shyly, tucking his head against Bucky’s shirt. Bucky nods wordlessly, resting his cheek on Tony’s head. “You wanna, maybe, come back to my place? It’s only a few blocks away. You could dry off-” He tilts his head so he can see Bucky again. There’s a wickedly delicious twinkle in his eyes now. “Warm up.”</p><p>Bucky grins and kisses him again. “Sounds perfect.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Good Morning; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>36. Starting with kunik before moving on to soft kisses.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony isn’t an early riser. Steve knew this when he went into this relationship. It had been one of the first things Tony had told him when they started dating: “Eventually, we’re going to start sharing a bed and you’ll see then. I don’t like to wake up and I make that everyone else’s problem.”</p><p>Privately, Steve thinks that the soft, sleepy Tony just woken from sleep is his favorite version.</p><p>Sure, Tony’s a little grumpy if Steve drags him out of bed before he’s ready to get up. He mlarghs his way through his first cup of coffee (and his second and his third until he finally wakes up somewhere around his fourth). He growls and grumps and is generally a pain to be around. But if Steve lets him stay in bed, lets him get all the way through the slow process of waking up - and he almost always does - Tony is soft and warm, full of smiles and adorable nose scrunches when Steve does something he doesn’t want (like getting up for his morning run).</p><p>Steve had been planning to go on his run this morning too but the way the blankets had shifted in the night to Tony’s waist and the sunlight turning his husband’s skin golden makes him stop. He crawls back into bed, Tony shifting toward him like a flower toward the sun.</p><p>Tony sighs, a sign that he’s starting to wake up, and Steve can’t manage to resist rubbing his nose against Tony’s. Tony scrunches his nose. “Cold,” he murmurs.</p><p>“Sorry,” Steve whispers, dropping a kiss on the tip of Tony’s nose. “Got out of bed and then decided I didn’t want to be up yet.”</p><p>He wraps his arms around Tony’s waist, pulling him on top of him as Steve rolls onto his back. Tony blinks slowly at the change but goes along with it, leaning down to kiss Steve softly, closed-mouthed, barely more than a brush, but a sure kiss nonetheless. Steve kisses him back, slow and easy and gentle. </p><p>There’s no rush, not for this. The sun is slowly coming up over the city, bathing the city with warm light, illuminating the room in rich tones. Steve brushes his hand over Tony’s cheek and Tony turns his head to kiss his palm.</p><p>“Love you,” Tony whispers.</p><p>“Love you too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Enough; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>27. Kisses exchanged while one person sits on the other’s lap.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>In another life, Tony would have been a cat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That’s Bucky’s opinion at least. He’s not sure what Steve thinks about his theory since he’s never told him but Bucky’s pretty sure that Tony would be a cat. Everything in the tower is his (and he insists on proclaiming that pretty loudly), he wants affection on his terms and his terms only (luckily for the supersoldiers, that’s almost all the time), and sometimes when he’s getting ready to surprise Clint in the latest installation of their prank war, Bucky can practically <em>see</em> the tail twitching behind him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He’s thinking about that right now as Tony walks into the room and sprawls out across Bucky and Steve’s laps, feet firmly planted in Steve’s lap for massages and cute little butt right between Bucky’s legs. He nuzzles under Bucky’s chin, all but purring as Steve massages out the tension in his feet.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Bucky exchanges an amused look with Steve before pausing the movie. “Hey doll,” he says, metal finger tilting Tony’s chin up so he can kiss him. “How,” another kiss, “was,” and another, “your,” a fourth, “meeting?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony squirms, getting comfortable. “Don’t wanna talk about it,” he grumbles. He kisses Bucky again, melting with a small moan when Bucky’s hand runs in soothing strokes down his back.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“That bad, huh?” Bucky asks sympathetically, feathering the words in kisses across Tony’s cheeks as he finds each minuscule freckle from years in the Malibu sun.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I <em>said</em>-” Tony begins and then cuts off with a whine as Steve finds a particularly bad knot. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Need me to stop?” Steve asks, voice low and rumbling. He likes doing things for his partners and with the pretty whimpers Tony makes each time Steve massages out something painful in his foot, Bucky can’t blame him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No,” Tony gasps out, foot flexing.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You work too hard, doll,” Bucky murmurs, kissing him again. “Your feet wouldn’t hurt so much if you weren’t on them all day.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“R&amp;D is useless,” Tony tells him. “They need me down there.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Could get better shoes.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony shrugs. “Maybe,” he says, which definitely means he won’t. Bucky makes a mental note to add new shoes for Tony to the Christmas list. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony moans again when Steve digs his thumb in and Bucky asks quietly, “Is this enough for you or do you want more?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He starts to move his hand down Tony’s chest but Tony catches it, holding it in his hand. “This is enough,” he says with one more kiss before he snuggles against Bucky’s shoulder. “This is enough.”</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. True Love's Kiss; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>3. A breathy demand: "Kiss me" - and what the other person does to respond</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon who had a bad day (hope it got better)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>It starts with a curse. Or rather it starts with an angry Asgardian witch who’s bitter about Thor’s upcoming nuptials to Dr. Foster. The Avengers were sent in to try to talk her down - Steve doesn’t know why; the Avengers are <em>terrible</em> at talking people down - which leads them to where they are now: with Nat knocked unconscious and Tony cursed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Amora had cocked her head at Tony after one of his sarcastic remarks about how her obsession with Thor <em>must</em> be true love. “True love, you say?” she’d asked thoughtfully. “You wouldn’t know the meaning.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>To everyone’s surprise, Tony had flushed bright red, visible only because Amora had rendered the armor useless at the beginning of the fight.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Amora had clucked sympathetically. “Or perhaps you do. Very well. If you cannot empathize with our shared situations then perhaps it is time you were taught a lesson. I’ve been reading about your silly Midgardian fairy tales so I think I’ll leave you with a little gift. You’re past the age, of course, but I think something else will do nicely.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Steve had readied himself to attack her but she had pinned the Avengers to the wall with scarcely a wave of her hand as she continued to advance on Tony. “Before the sun sets in sixteen hours, if you have not kissed your true love by that time, you will fall into a dreamless sleep forever more.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That had been fifteen hours ago. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>They’ve tried everything, from bringing in Pepper to calling up Tony’s college girlfriend, Rumiko, to even trying Rhodey. Nothing has worked. Tony, it seems, may very well be doomed. He’s downstairs now with the other Avengers, seeing if any one of them is his true love.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Steve should be with them. He <em>had</em> been with them but he’d left a few hours ago, unable to watch because-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Because <em>he</em> loves Tony.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He loves him and it’s killing him that he hadn’t been the first person Tony had asked to kiss him. He loves him and he can’t bear to watch Tony kiss person after person, hoping against hoping that one of them will be the one to save Tony’s life and hoping against hoping that none of them are his true love. He’s loved Tony silently since the moment Tony opened his eyes on the pavement in New York and promptly made a sassy quip but Tony has never so much as looked twice at him. He loves him and he thinks it might actually tear him apart if he has to watch Tony fall in love with someone who isn’t him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s selfish, he knows that. He knows too that eventually Tony will track him down and ask to kiss him and it’ll tear him apart because he knows it won’t work but what choice does he have? He would do anything Tony asks him to do.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Somewhere, a clock is ticking closer to the sixteenth hour.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And Steve sits next to the window drawing a scene of Tony laughing at one of DUM-E’s antics from his memory. He wants to remember Tony like this, smiling and happy and so, <em>so</em> beautiful, not as he will be in a few short minutes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The time is ticking down and Steve should be down there, spending the last couple minutes with Tony, soaking in his love’s presence one last time, but he can’t bring himself to move.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And then it doesn’t matter when Tony pokes his head around the door. “Hey,” he says quietly. “Wondered where you went. Should’ve known you’d be up here.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hi,” Steve replies, trying to muster up a smile and only managing a grimace. “Here to ask me?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony studies him with unreadable dark eyes and Steve hates that. Tony should be an open book like he always is. Eventually, the brunet says, “Not if you don’t want to.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The pencil in Steve’s hand snaps in half. “How can you say that?” he demands. “Don’t you care what-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Of course I do,” Tony snaps, stalking closer. “But your happiness is important to and if you don’t want to kiss me, I won’t force that on you. What kind of friend do you think I am? I-” He deflates, standing now only a few inches away from Steve. “-I wanted to spend my last couple minutes with you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Steve frowns. “Why would you want to do that?” he asks before he can stop himself.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony smiles sadly. “I always do,” he admits. “I-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He stops, catching sight of Steve’s sketchbook. “I-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He takes a closer look at it, cocking his head curiously. Steve moves to hide it but Tony’s hand shoots out to stop him. “That’s me,” Tony says wonderingly. “Is that how you see me?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tony is dying and Steve finds he cannot lie to him. “Yes,” he says simply and nothing more because some things are too personal even though Tony’s eyes are far, far too knowing now.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Steve,” Tony begins, hands reaching out to tug Steve to standing. Like this, they’re all but breathing the same air. Steve can feel the heat radiating off of him. Tony’s always so <em>warm</em>, so full of life, and he isn’t ready to see him go cold. “Steve.” Tony sounds breathless and Steve can’t imagine why but his own is catching in his throat. “Kiss me.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Steve can’t deny him anything. He bends down, hands framing Tony’s face as Tony’s eyelids flutter closed. He kisses first the right eyelid - gently, he reminds himself - then the left. Tony is trembling and Steve has to remember that now isn’t the time to comfort him when there’s so little time left. He kisses him, gently, tenderly, pouring his heart and his love and everything that he is into this one kiss, the only one that he’ll get with Tony. It’s perfect, it’s everything he’s been dreaming of, of Tony beneath him, kissing him, making him sigh, but he doesn’t have the right to this. He pulls back, afraid that Tony will go limp, that this hadn’t been enough.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Somewhere, a clock strikes the sixteenth hour.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And Tony opens his eyes.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Distraction; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>45. Kisses exchanged as they move around, hitting the edges of tables or nearly tripping over things on the floor before making it to the sofa, or bed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony shouldn’t be surprised Thor is so good at this. He’s a literal god. He’s been alive for hundreds of years - or maybe it’s thousands; Tony’s having trouble thinking at the moment. It really shouldn’t come as a shock that when Thor kisses, it’s all-consuming, drugging, passionate enough to make Tony lose his damn mind.</p><p>Thor gets his hands under Tony’s ass, hitches him up, all without stopping whatever his tongue is doing that’s driving him crazy. Tony wraps his legs around his waist and whines into Thor’s mouth. He knows, compared to Thor or just about anyone else on the team with the exception of Nat, he’s pretty light but the fact that Thor can lift him so effortlessly is so. Fucking. <em>Hot</em>.</p><p>They run into a wall, Thor just barely managing to get his hand behind Tony’s head before it slams back into the plaster. Tony smiles at him smugly, pleased that he made Thor lose that kind of control. Thor smiles back at him just as smugly, which confuses Tony until the god ducks his head and bites <em>hard</em> on Tony’s neck. Tony comes, untouched and fully dressed like a teenager in the back of his dad’s car. He just barely manages to keep from screaming as he’s played like a fiddle, shaking in the circle of Thor’s arms.</p><p>“Beautiful,” Thor murmurs, soothing the bite with little kitten licks.</p><p>“How did you…?” Tony pants as he comes down from his high.</p><p>Thor holds him tighter and sets off across the living room, stumbling once into the side of the couch and then again into the coffee table. “I am the god of fertility,” he says between thorough kisses that leave Tony’s head buzzing. “Did you think I couldn’t?”</p><p>Tony hadn’t even <em>known</em> that but Thor is seemingly done with talking as he holds Tony’s head in place to ravish his mouth, tongue darting between his lips, tasting and exploring and keeping Tony’s brain too occupied to think. </p><p>They’re moving again and he has no idea how Thor knows where he’s going. Thor apparently doesn’t either, judging from the lamp he knocks over, but he seems completely unwilling to even pull away from Tony for even a second to look where he’s going, which is a pretty heady feeling.</p><p>“My love,” Thor croons as he lays Tony down on something soft - maybe a bed but honestly, Thor could have put him in the bathtub and he would have been happy. “My queen.” His kisses move down Tony’s chest and <em>oh</em> when had his shirt come off? “My <em>own</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Sugar Kisses; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>37. Cleaning the other person’s lips with a lick and a kiss.</p><p>And</p><p>40. A gentle kiss that quickly descends into passion, with little regard for what’s going on around them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thor had had no idea Tony liked sugar donuts so much. Admittedly, Tony likes most kinds of donuts. Most of the rest of the team prefers powdered sugar or glazed and since Steve is the one who usually picks them up because he’s the one who passes the store during his morning run, those are the kinds they usually get.</p><p>But Tony had had an early morning board meeting today and <em>someone</em> must have known that he prefers the donuts with sugar crystals on them because one of them is still in his hand. He waves it around as he finishes up whatever he’s saying to Pepper, who is still in the elevator. Pepper bids him goodbye, the elevator doors close, and Tony turns back to the common room. He pops the last of the donut in his mouth, licking the sugar crystals from his hand with a soft moan that goes straight to Thor’s dick.</p><p>He had been waiting, waiting for Tony to realize that Thor would like nothing more than to be the one warming Tony’s bed at night. Waiting for Tony to realize that Thor wants to hold him in his arms, sit him on his lap, kiss him ‘til he’s breathless and trembling and sated. Tony has either been more oblivious or less willing than he had thought though because each and every one of Thor’s advances have been brushed off.</p><p>He had been waiting. But as Tony walks closer, Thor can see the sugar crystals still clinging to Tony’s plush lips. He can see Tony’s small pink tongue dart out of one corner to lick at a couple crystals. He can see - and he <em>wants</em>. </p><p>He’s out of his seat almost before he realizes it, striding toward Tony. He cups Tony’s cheeks in his hands, lifting him onto his toes as he tilts his head down to lick across Tony’s lips gently, cleaning him of the sugar. The sugar is amazing but Tony is <em>divine</em> and when he’s finished, he slants his mouth across the genius’s in a gentle kiss.</p><p>It isn’t until Sam asks, “Did any of you know this was a thing?” that he realizes what he’s done. Horrified by his actions, Thor starts to let him go.</p><p>Tony mewls, throws his arms around Thor’s neck, and drags him back down. Thor goes willingly, licking his way into Tony’s mouth like it’s water in a desert. Tony tastes of sugar and dough and <em>heat</em>. Thor’s always thought he would taste like coffee but that’s not it at all and he can’t figure out which he prefers. He kisses him and kisses him and kisses him, dimly registering that the rest of the team is clearing out of the room, but not caring as long as Tony is in his arms. His genius feels as good as he always thought he would, pliant and warm, kissing Thor with all the passion Thor is kissing <em>him</em> with. </p><p>“Do you want this?” he asks after several long minutes, certain of the answer but needing to hear it anyway, and Tony sighs, “<em>Yes</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. On the Steps; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>20. Kissing in a stairwell, giving them an artificial height difference.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even Captain America gets called up for jury duty.</p><p>He’s not entirely sure how he managed to not get dismissed from this one. The defendant is an alleged serial killer. Steve remembers the interview he’d given about the case when the man had still been on the loose, accusing the local police of wasting all their efforts of arresting non-dealing drug users rather than trying to find the serial killer. It had been Clint ultimately who had tracked the guy down, using his old contacts from SHIELD and the circus to find him. Steve’s pretty sure that counts as a conflict of interest but somehow neither lawyer had dismissed him.</p><p>It’s the first day of the case and Tony had driven him to the courthouse, saying, “If I’m not going to get to see you in the workshop, I at least want to see you in the morning.” It’s a sweet sentiment but Steve’s pretty sure that Tony is so tired, he’s only marginally paying attention to Steve.</p><p>He climbs out of the car and starts up the steps, halfway up them when Tony yells for him to wait. Steve turns around, raising an eyebrow. “Did I forget something?” he asks.</p><p>“Yes,” Tony says, darting up the stairs. He stops on the step below him and hands Steve a brown paper bag. “I promise you whoever they got to cater lunch for the jurors isn’t as good as Nat’s stroganoff. And one more thing.” He starts to stand on his toes and then stops. “Well, this isn’t going to work.”</p><p>Steve isn’t sure what Tony’s trying to do until he climbs another two steps to the one right above him. Tony is little, something that Steve absolutely adores about him. He wears lifts in his shoes, strategically places himself in photos so that he looks bigger but he’s positively tiny. When he’d been on the bottom step, there’s no way he would have been able to reach Steve without one of them being in a very uncomfortable position.</p><p>Like this, however, Tony is only an inch or so shorter than him so it’s easy for him to loop his arms around Steve’s neck and pull him in for a sweet kiss. Steve fits his hands around Tony’s waist and holds him still for another long kiss.</p><p>“I won’t be able to see you today,” Tony murmurs. “I think I’ll need to give you at least another couple kisses to make up for it.”</p><p>Steve laughs fondly, kissing him again. It’s incredible getting to kiss Tony when he’s shorter than him, when it feels like Steve is protecting him from the outside world. But this is nice too (no matter what Nat says, he’s pretty sure he has a Tony kink, not a size kink). Like this, he can kiss Tony without worrying about a crick in his neck or Tony’s toes cramping when he’s been standing on them too long. It’s nice.</p><p>Steve pulls away after one last kiss. He drags his gaze down Tony’s body, taking in the loose shirt (one of Steve’s) and the sweatpants. Tony looks soft like this, soft and open. Steve wants to take him back home and bundle him up in their softest blankets, curl around him in their bed, fall back asleep to the sound of the rain he can see approaching.</p><p>“i’ll see you tonight when I get home,” he promises. He ducks back in for one last kiss. “Love you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. You Have Me; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>2. “You aren’t who I thought you were.”<br/>4. “Why can’t you look at me?”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anthorystark on tumblr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Steve?” Tony asked quietly. “Can you look at me please?” A beat as Steve continues to stare down at his sketchbook. “Why can’t you look at me?”</p><p>“Not that I can’t,” Steve mutters.</p><p>He hears Tony inhale sharply before he says, "So it’s that you won’t.” His voice is a little wet and Steve just knows that Tony is trying hard not to cry and that kills him. He wants to go to Tony, take him in his arms, but -</p><p>“You aren’t who I thought you were.”</p><p>“That’s not true,” Tony says. “I’m still me. I haven’t changed, even if -”</p><p>Steve huffs an unamused laugh. “There’s a world of difference between dating Tony Carbonell and dating Tony Stark.” One of them is his boyfriend, sweet and funny and so damn smart it makes his head spin. The other one is so far above his world that if Steve’s world were to explode, Tony wouldn’t see it for three days. </p><p>“Oh.” Tony sounds small. “You - uh - you must have believed the tabloids then. I don’t blame you. They were pretty explicit.”</p><p>Steve can’t manage to stop himself from frowning or from saying, “What tabloids?”</p><p>“That’s just cruel, Steve,” Tony snaps. “You know what tabloids. You’re the one that brought them up.”</p><p>He’s not actually and he wants to point that out but they’re already arguing and it seems pointless to escalate an already-tense situation. And - and there’s something off about the way Tony says it, like he thinks that this is all his fault. It is, sort of, but he’s starting to suspect that it’s not for the reason Tony thinks it is.</p><p>“What tabloids, Tony?” he repeats, already pulling out his phone to google Tony Stark. His eyes widen as he sees the article headlines and - and he had figured out last night that he’s been dating Tony Stark but somehow, he hadn’t quite put it together that he’s dating Tony Stark. He hadn’t thought about the tabloids that can’t seem to give him a break or the articles claiming he’s going out with this model or that actress. He’d just been focused on the fact that his Tony, who eats takeout and sleeps on cheap sheets, is actually a recently-come-into-his-inheritance billionaire.</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks abruptly. Steve has wanted to know this since he found out that Tony has been lying to him but he hasn’t asked yet, too afraid to hear that the answer is that he was trying out slumming it.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tony shrug. “Because it was nice,” he says simply. “Because I could come here and I didn’t have to be the owner of Stark Industries. I could just be your Tony.” Tony swallows audibly. “But I get why you don’t want anything to do with me so I’ll just...I’ll just leave.”</p><p>That had been what Steve wanted but now that he’s staring it in the face, he’s realizing that he doesn’t want Tony to go. Tony starts to turn and he realizes that this is it. This is the moment where Tony could walk away forever and he doesn’t want that. Maybe it’s selfish, maybe he should let Tony find something better, something he deserves, but this is the best thing that’s ever happened to him.</p><p>“Wait,” he says suddenly, grabbing onto Tony’s wrist to stop him.</p><p>Tony freezes, looking down at Steve’s hand. “Steve?” he asks and even just the tiny hint of hope in his voice is enough to make Steve’s heart soar.</p><p>“I’m not upset because you’re Tony Stark,” he says. “Or I am but not because of anything the tabloids say. I know you wouldn’t cheat on me. I’m just - just worried that you deserve so much better than me. I’m a retired army captain with PTSD. What can I offer you?”</p><p>He doesn’t expect Tony to promptly answer, “Love. Laughter. Happiness. Steve,” he says desperately, “there is nothing better than you. You’re all that I want. I - I just want you.”</p><p>There’s a lot that’s missing from that. Steve can’t offer him financial stability. A night that isn’t marked with nightmares. An apartment with a roof that doesn’t leak. But Tony knows about all of that already; they’ve been together too long for him to not know. He knows all that and he just wants him.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m sorry that I overreacted, that I was going to push you away.” He pulls Tony a little bit closer, wrapping his arms around his waist. “If you still want me - and I would get it if you don’t - I, Tony, all I’ve ever wanted is you.”</p><p>“You have me,” Tony whispers. Steve is still sitting and so it’s easy to lean forward and rest his forehead against Tony’s stomach, breathing out all the pain he’s felt over the last twenty-four hours. “You have me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. So Small; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>22. "You make me feel so small."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony used to sleep on his back. He’d been that way all through childhood and into adulthood and right up until he started dating Pepper when he realized that she’s taller than him and therefore he can be the little spoon. And then he’d realized that he <em>likes</em> being the little spoon and he had never looked back. It had broken his heart when she left, mostly because he had truly loved her but a little bit because he’d had to get used to sleeping on his back again.</p><p>And then there’s Steve. Steve who had moved into the compound with the new team and then promptly started begging Tony to come visit and when that didn’t work, came to the tower to see him. Steve who might not have been at his best during Ultron but had apologized for laying the blame solely at his feet only days after the Battle of Sokovia. Steve who has always owned a small piece of Tony’s heart ever since he was a little boy hero worshipping the hero of Howard’s stories.</p><p>He knows exactly when he realizes that he’s in love with Steve - March 14th when Steve visits the tower with a pie that Natasha helped him bake because “It’s Pi Day and I know you like math so I thought you might like this pie.”</p><p>He’s less certain about when Steve fell in love with him. Tony only knows that it happens because Steve stops him in the workshop one day before he can rub motor oil in his tired eyes and when Tony thanks him with a grateful smile, he murmurs, “There’s that smile I love so much.” Tony had blinked uncomprehending, asked if he was joking, and Steve had looked a little sad before saying, “I wish you knew how much I love you.”</p><p>Tony had kissed him then.</p><p>And it had been fireworks going off behind his eyes and violins swelling and every bit the magical moment it’s supposed to be (he finds out later DUM-E set off the blowtorch and FRIDAY played orchestral music).</p><p>Their first date is that night though they don’t share a bed for another two months because Steve believes Tony deserves someone who’ll take it slow with him instead of pushing him to get naked. It’s nice. Unnecessary of course - Tony would like nothing better than to strip down for Steve Rogers - but nice. And when they finally do tumble into bed together, Steve rolls him onto his side when they’re finished and snuggles up behind him.</p><p>“I’m not leaving,” Steve says firmly.</p><p>“I didn’t think you were,” Tony replies though he absolutely is.</p><p>“Well now you know for certain.”</p><p>He wakes the next morning to Steve still cuddled up behind him, one arm thrown over his chest, curled protectively around the reactor. This - this is nicer. Tony isn’t exactly small; he’s perfectly average-sized, thank you very much. But Steve is big and looming and so, so good that Tony can’t feel anything but protected when Steve is curled around him like this.</p><p>“You make me feel so small,” he whispers into the quiet morning air.</p><p>He hadn’t realized Steve is awake until he starts to withdraw his arm with a worried, “Is that okay?”</p><p>Tony reaches for Steve’s arm, pulls it back over him, and snuggles deeper into Steve’s body. He fits perfectly there like they were made for each other. “It’s perfect.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Anger and Hurt; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Don’t apologize; I know you don’t mean it” and “I don’t need you, I’m fine on my own.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He hears Tony walk into the room behind him, hears him take a breath.</p><p>“Don’t apologize; I know you don’t mean it,” Steve says before Tony can even get a word out.</p><p>Steve feels, rather than hears this time, Tony deflate. Tony leaves and Steve is left alone again.</p><p>The thing is, they don’t really argue much. Well, he supposes that’s not true. They argue all the time, over who ate the last slice of pizza and whose turn it is to pick the movie. But that’s not really arguing. That’s more…bickering. Arguing, the kind that leaves your bed cold while your husband locks himself in his workshop for four days because both of you are too proud to apologize, they don’t do that much at all.</p><p>He hears someone else come in a few minutes later, the step too light to be Tony again. “What do you want, Nat?”</p><p>Steve doesn’t have to look at her to know that her eyebrow is arched. “So it’s like that then, huh,” she says.</p><p>When he turns from his book, she’s sitting on the arm of a chair, hands clasped between her knees. Nat seems perfectly content to wait until he talks and he already knows her patience can easily outlast him so he sighs.</p><p>“What do you want?” he asks again.</p><p>She shrugs. “Borscht from home. For Clint to knit me a sweater that isn’t some awful shade of purple. For my friends to start talking to each other again.”</p><p>“Tony knows what he did,” Steve says. “I don’t want to talk to him unless he’s sorry.”</p><p>She nods in understanding and then says, “But he’s not going to be sorry. We were in the middle of a fight and there was no way you could get to him in time. He didn’t want to worry you.”</p><p>“Don’t tell me you’re taking his side.”</p><p>She throws him a look that speaks more than her words ever could, telling him to stop being so childish. “I’m not taking anyone’s side. I’m pointing out that you have two options here: you can either forgive him without an apology - because you’re not going to get one, he’s too convinced that he’s right - or you can get a divorce - because that’s what will happen if you let this fester.”</p><p>“It’s not like he got a couple scrapes!” he explodes. “The reactor <em>stopped working</em>.”</p><p>“Yeah,” she agrees. “And Bucky was there with a replacement in less than a minute.”</p><p>“Don’t you think I deserve to know when my husband goes into cardiac arrest?”</p><p>She sighs in exasperation. “Of course I do! But Steve, we were pinned down and Tony knew that. Do you honestly think he didn’t struggle over whether to tell you or not?”</p><p>Steve hesitates. Actually, considering how often Tony hides his other injuries, he kind of <em>had</em> thought that. </p><p>Nat can clearly see it on his face because she sighs again. “Look, you’re right. You do deserve to know when Tony gets injured like that. But we were never going to be able to make it to him and he knows that you needed to have your head in the fight. Do I think he made the right call? I don’t know. I know how much you would have been distracted if he had told you but, like you said, it’s not like he got a few scrapes. But it wasn’t easy for him.”</p><p>She leans forward, running her hands over her face tiredly. “You need to talk to him, Steve. Either to forgive or to tell him that there’s no going back from this. He already thinks he’s ruined your marriage.” She reads the look on his face. “You’ve turned him away fifteen times in four days. What else is he supposed to think?”</p><hr/><p>“Hey,” Steve says quietly from the bathroom door.</p><p>Tony, sitting on the edge of the sink, looks up in surprise from where he’s wrapping his ribs. There’s a wary, hurt look in his eyes that makes Steve want to break things. He had been angry, yes, but he had never meant to make Tony think he would give up on their marriage.</p><p>“I can do that for you,” Steve offers, voice still low. </p><p>“I don’t need you,” Tony whispers, just as softly as Steve and he wonders if Tony doesn’t want to raise his voice because it’ll break if he gets too loud. “I’m fine on my own.”</p><p>“I know but you’ll feel better if someone else does it so you don’t have to stretch.”</p><p>He waits for Tony to nod before taking the wrappings from him and continuing the job. They sit in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Steve says, “I shouldn’t have ignored you.”</p><p>“You were angry.”</p><p>“That doesn’t make it okay. I said for better or for worse and I meant it.” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tony open his mouth. “Don’t apologize. I know you still don’t mean it.” Tony’s mouth closes. “I hate it, that you didn’t tell me. But I understand. You wanted to keep me safe and you didn’t think that would happen if you told me. I should have listened.”</p><p>“I missed you,” Tony says quietly. </p><p>Steve picks up one of his hands and kisses the back of it. “I missed you too. Come back to our bed, Tony. It’s cold without you.”</p><p>Tony hesitates and Steve feels a jolt of worry go through him - what if he’s too late? What if Tony decides that this is the last straw? But then Tony nods, just a small jerk of his head really, and Steve smiles, relieved. He leans forward and kisses his husband’s forehead.</p><p>“I could carry you, if you like,” he offers.</p><p>Tony smiles. “I always like.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Hurt; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“You want to be with him/her/them, don’t you?” &amp; “I’m sick of trying.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky doesn’t often go on missions. There’s a lot of fear still surrounding the Winter Soldier, even with Tony’s goodwill campaign, and with Bucky’s semi-frequent flashbacks, Steve feels uncomfortable bringing him out into the field.</p><p>“It’s not anything against you,” Steve had whispered into the darkness of their bedroom.</p><p>“I know,” Bucky had whispered back, taking care not to disturb Tony asleep on his chest. “I get it.”</p><p>And he does. It isn’t even something he really complains about since he’s not even sure that he <em>wants</em> to be a superhero but it can be frustrating when the team suits up and he’s left alone in the compound or with whoever is currently too injured to go on the mission - and of course, there’s the worrying that one of his partners will get hurt from something that he could have stopped if he’d been there. It’s a ridiculous fear and Bucky recognizes that. There’s never any guarantee that he would have been able to do anything even if he had been there but he still worries about it.</p><p>Today, it’s Tony who’s curled up next to him, arm in a sling. They’re watching the footage from the battle on one of the Tower’s many TVs but this one is good because it’s actually a wall of several screens so they have not just the news footage, but also the feed from the team’s body cams and the street footage from JARVIS hacking into the traffic cams. Bucky watches Steve worriedly, seeing how he’s not watching his six like he should be because Tony’s usually back there and Steve doesn’t practice enough without Tony to compensate for him missing.</p><p>“You want to be with him, don’t you?” Tony asks drowsily. His pain medications take a lot out of him and he’s spent most of the last week sleeping.</p><p>Bucky cards his fingers through his hair. “I want to be with you. Who else is going to babysit you?”</p><p>“Don’t need a babysitter.” Tony’s lower lip sticks out in a pout that he would absolutely suppress if he was in complete control. Bucky takes shameless advantage of that and leans down to kiss the pout off his face, pulling back only when Tony is purring happily.</p><p>“I don’t know that I want to be a superhero,” he confesses. He hasn’t told either of his partners this, too worried by their reactions to say anything. But there’s a pretty good chance Tony won’t remember any of this because of his meds and that makes him brave. “I’m tired of fighting. And I’m tired of people shrinking away from me and trying to act like it doesn’t bother me. I am, Tony. I’m sick of trying. Yeah, I want to be out there watchin’ Stevie’s six cause he’s too stupid to do it himself but I want to - I don’t know, want to do something else instead. Want to get a chance to <em>rest</em>.”</p><p>Tony is looking at him with bright eyes and he pushes up a little so he can look Bucky in the face. “You can do that,” he says earnestly. “We can find something for you to do. I think my PR team might prefer it actually.”</p><p>“You don’t mind?”</p><p>“Why would I mind? I want whatever makes you happy and if that’s not working with the Avengers, then I want you to find what you <em>do</em> want to do.” Tony snuggles back under his arm and turns up the volume of the TV. “Now shut up. I want to watch Nat absolutely destroy this guy.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. My Bad; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I’m sorry for punching you, but in my defense, you shouldn’t have snuck up on me.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony has a heart problem. Admittedly, it’s not as much of a problem as it used to be (Dr. Cho’s Cradle is a magical thing) and he’s also a Dramatic Bitch TM so he usually makes it out to be worse than it actually is but he does still have a heart problem.</p><p>So when he’s half-asleep and standing alone in the kitchen (or so he thought) and his boyfriend sneaks up behind him, Tony reacts exactly the way Natasha taught him - and punches him in the face.</p><p>“Shit!” Bucky gasps, clutching at his eye, which is already starting to swell. “Doll, what the <em>fuck</em>?”</p><p>“I’m sorry!” Tony yelps. He’s not half-asleep anymore. No, he is fully awake and horrified. “I’m sorry! I’ll - here!” He grabs a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and presses it to Bucky’s eye.</p><p>Bucky howls. </p><p>“I’m sorry for punching you,” Tony says, holding the bag even as Bucky tries to twist away from it. “But! In my defense, you shouldn’t have snuck up on me.”</p><p>Bucky is so startled that he’s still long enough for Tony to quickly wrap a towel around the peas and press them back to his eye. He slowly lowers his hands from his face, letting Tony see that nothing else is damaged, just his eye. It does look bad enough that he’s glad he punched a supersoldier and not, say, Bruce but he doesn’t think it’ll do any permanent damage.</p><p>“Sorry,” he says again.</p><p>“Nah,” Bucky says, calming down now that the initial wave of pain has passed. He wraps an arm around Tony’s waist, tugging him. “I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have startled you.”</p><p>“No, you shouldn’t have,” Tony says, relaxing now that Bucky is doing better. “But I guess, if I have to, I forgive you.”</p><p>“That’s real generous of you,” Bucky drawls. He tries to wink and then winces even though it’s with his good eye.</p><p>“Yeah, I know. I’m just the best.” He leans up onto his toes and presses a quick kiss to Bucky’s cheek, just below the towel.</p><p>Bucky smiles fondly. “Yeah, you are.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. America's Team; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I’ve literally never heard anything as stupid as what you just said.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Excuse me,” Tony says, literally elbowing his way into the conversation. “Hi, hello, yes, short person talking here. Couldn’t help but overhear what you were saying and I just needed to tell you that I’ve literally never heard anything as stupid as what you just said.”</p><p>“Is that so?” the guy drawls, crossing his arms, and oh, wow, he’s got nice biceps to go with that gorgeous accent and Tony is suddenly realizing that any chances he might have had of getting the hot guy to go out with him is going down the drain but what the hell, he’s already dug his hole.</p><p>“Yeah,” he says. “<em>So</em> stupid.”</p><p>“So the Yankees aren’t America’s baseball team?” The hot guy is smirking now and that’s just so unfair. How is Tony supposed to concentrate when he’s looking at him like that?</p><p>“No, see, that would be the LA Dodgers. They’re way better and they even started off in New York.”</p><p>“Well, that just makes them traitors.”</p><p>Tony gapes at him. “No, you know what? I don’t even have time to tell you how wrong you are.” He starts to go and then stops. “Actually, it’s gonna bother me if I don’t.”</p><p>“Cute and knows his TV shows?” the hot guy asks. He glances up at the ceiling and places his hand over his heart. “Be still, my beating heart.”</p><p>Tony blushes and the guy grins at him, reaching out to brush his cheek. “Cute little blush too.”</p><p>“Buck!” someone says, probably a friend since he walks up and slings an arm over hot guy’s shoulder. “You’re supposed to be grabbing drinks, not arguing.”</p><p>“We’re not arguing,” hot guy says. “We’re flirting.”</p><p>But Tony has latched onto the name and before he can stop himself, he says, “<em>Buck</em>? Wow, that’s unfortunate.”</p><p>He immediately claps his hand over his mouth but the damage is already done. The guy’s friend is laughing uproariously and the hot guy - Buck, apparently - looks offended.</p><p>“That’s my name!” he exclaims. </p><p>Tony tries to keep quiet but he’s too snarky. It’s been a problem since he learned how to talk. “Well, that sounds like a you problem. I’m sorry, I cant’ do it. I can’t flirt with a guy named Buck.” He drops his head into his hands. Why is he like this?</p><p>The guy’s friend is still laughing and he can’t see what Buck looks like but Buck eventually says, “Would it make things any better if I told you it’s short for Buchanan?”</p><p>“What, did your parents hate you or something?”</p><p>Please let the floor open up and swallow him.</p><p>But no such thing happens and when he peeks through his fingers, Buck looks absolutely dumbfounded. Fortunately, he doesn’t look angry anymore so Tony slowly lowers his hand.</p><p>“They’re history nerds,” Buck says eventually. “Full name’s James Buchanan Barnes but my friends call me Bucky, this idiot-” He cuffs the laughing blond guy on the back of the head. “-calls me Buck, and you, sweet thing, can call me whatever you like.”</p><p>Tony raises an eyebrow. Smooth, much smoother than Tony apparently is. “I didn’t make you upset?” he asks.</p><p>“Nah, it’s not like you’re wrong.”</p><p>He sticks out his hand. “Tony but you can keep calling me <em>sweet thing</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Before the Wedding; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“This is the part where you’re supposed to tell me everything will be okay.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by ad1thi</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There’s an Earth tradition that says it’s bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other the night before the wedding. A silly tradition since Thor’s mother is the goddess of marriage, Thor himself is a fertility god, and Tony isn’t much of a bride but Tony insists on it so Thor is banished from their bed to another room in the tower, his old room actually that he hasn’t slept in since they started dating right after the Battle of New York.</p><p>So he’s surprised when he’s finally starting to drift off to sleep and there’s a knock on his door, followed by Tony saying, “Can I come in?”</p><p>He gets up and opens the door. “Always,” he says. “You don’t have to know, you know that.”</p><p>Tony slips past him, tapping on the reactor nervously. He paces to the window and back as Thor shuts the door, quietly watching his fiancé. He’s pretty sure he knows what this is about, Pepper had warned him it would likely happen at least once.</p><p>“This is a bad idea,” Tony says eventually.</p><p>Thor believes this is where a human would say, “Called it.” </p><p>“This is such a bad idea. Why are we doing this? This is a <em>terrible</em> idea. We should just call off the wedding. Yeah, that’s exactly what we should do. Tell everyone it was a mistake and call the whole thing off.”</p><p>“And why should we do that?” Thor asks. He moves closer to take Tony in his arms and Tony pushes at him ineffectually.</p><p>“Don’t do that,” he snaps. “I’m trying to break up with you.”</p><p>“But you haven’t done it yet,” Thor says reasonably. “So surely you’ll let me hold you a little longer.”</p><p>Tony likes to be held and he knows this so it doesn’t come as a shock when Tony folds and lets Thor pick him up. He carries Tony to the bed and settles against the headboard, arranging the brunet in his lap so that they’re both comfortable. Tony tucks his head under his chin so that Thor can kiss the top of his head, which he gladly does.</p><p>“Why should we call off the wedding, sváss?” he asks softly.</p><p>“I’ll be a terrible husband,” Tony says. He sounds defeated, worn down, and Thor wonders if he’s been reading gossip magazines again. They’re delighted about the wedding, working day and night to publish article after article about how poor a husband Tony will be. “I’ll forget our anniversary.”</p><p>“I’ll remember it for you.”</p><p>“I’ll probably try to poison you with whatever you’re allergic to.”</p><p>“I’m allergic to a certain kind of moss that only grows on a planet many lightyears away. I don’t think even you would be able to find that.”</p><p>“I’ll be moody and grumpy and I probably won’t come out of the workshop for days.”</p><p>“I’ll probably be moody and grumpy and in Asgard for days. Beloved, what brought this on?”</p><p>“Clint,” Tony says gloomily. “I don’t think he meant it but he made a joke about my relationship with Pepper not working out.”</p><p>Thor makes a note to tell Clint not to joke about such things. “I’m not Pepper,” he says. “I am Thor, son of Odin, and I am thousands of years old, which makes me far wiser than Clint-”</p><p>“Didn’t your father banish you to Earth for not being wise?”</p><p>“That is beside the point,” he says dismissively.</p><p>“Then what is?”</p><p>“The point, sváss, is that I have seen many lifetimes of men, seen the terrible things they are capable of but also the good. Let me tell you, there is nothing that you can do that will make me leave.”</p><p>Tony sighs deeply. “You know, this is the part where you’re supposed to tell me everything will be okay.”</p><p>“I can’t tell you that,” Thor says honestly. “For all we know, my brother will invade tomorrow. Dr. Doom could decide that he needs to interrupt the wedding and declare his love for you again. We will probably face a terrible winter this year because your leaders seem incapable of admitting that climate change is real. We will most certainly have to deal with the media asking if we’re separating every other day. I can’t tell you that everything will be okay but I <em>can</em> tell you that no matter what, we’ll face it together and that is all that I ask of you, that when things are not okay, you come to me.”</p><p>Tony smiles and kisses the corner of his mouth. “I think I can maybe manage that at least.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Maybe a Little; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“You’re the only person I care about in this room” &amp; “I’m not jealous! Okay fine, maybe a little”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by in-umbria-gratia</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve knows Tony’s taken other lovers, knows that he has flirted and dated, kissed and been kissed…fucked and been fucked. For the most part, it doesn’t bother him. Tony is with him now and he’s fairly certain Tony would rather stop being Iron Man before he cheated on Steve. </p><p>But there’s something about Christine Everhart.</p><p>He thinks maybe it’s because she’s indelibly tied to Iron Man, more so than almost all of Tony’s exes. She had been the last person in Tony’s bed before he left for Afghanistan. She had made him see the bad parts lurking in his company and godfather. She had challenged him to be better, goaded him into announcing that he was Iron Man. She had been a part of Tony’s life - this Tony, not the playboy he used to be - long before Steve even came out of the ice. When Tony thinks about the early days of becoming a superhero, he must, inevitably, think about Christine Everhart.</p><p>And Steve’s still not <em>jealous</em> per se but that time created a bond between Tony and Christine that still exists. When Tony needs someone to challenge his privilege, it’s Christine that he calls. He is her first choice when she calls to ask for an interview with one of the Avengers. They’re not friends exactly but they’re both on speed dial in each other’s phones.</p><p>So when they’re at a gala and Tony has spent most of the night talking with her in a corner instead of mingling with the other guests or, he doesn’t know, spending time with <em>Steve</em>, he can’t help but feel - still not jealous, Captain America doesn’t get <em>jealous</em> - but neglected maybe.</p><p>“You’re gonna crush that glass if you hold onto it any tighter,” Sam mutters.</p><p>Christine’s hand lands on Tony’s arm - perfectly friendly but it’s still there - and the glass shatters.</p><p>“And there we go,” Sam says, waving at the mess of glass and whiskey.</p><p>“Huh?” Steve asks distractedly, watching the way Tony laughs. He doesn’t think it’s the same way Tony laughs around him but it’s hard to be sure from this distance. He should get closer. </p><p>“You’re not even listening to me, are you?”</p><p>“Yeah, you tell that guy, Nat,” Steve says absently, setting the remains of the broken glass down on the bar and wandering off toward Tony’s back corner.</p><p>Tony lights up as soon as he sees him. “Steve! You should hear what Christine’s been telling me. She’s got - what did you do to your hand?” he suddenly exclaims, staring in horror at Steve’s side.</p><p>“What?” He looks down as well to see that his clenched fist is dripping blood. “Oh - I…” He doesn’t remember what he did.</p><p>“Never mind,” Tony says, undoing his very expensive silk tie so he can wrap it around Steve’s hand, cutting off the blood. “Christine, we’ll talk later. Give Pep a call. I’m sure she’d love to discuss what you’re doing.”</p><p>He tugs Steve off toward the bathroom and Steve is so relieved to be away from Christine that he doesn’t protest even a little bit at being led like a toddler. Stark Tower stocks first aid kits in every single bathroom - hazards of housing a team of superheroes - and Tony gets one down as soon as he locks the door behind them.</p><p>“Sit,” he says, gesturing toward the toilet lid. Steve sits.</p><p>“Are you drugged?” Tony asks, getting out a roll of bandages.</p><p>“Why would you think that?”</p><p>“I can’t imagine why else you didn’t notice your hand was bleeding.”</p><p>Steve shakes his head. “I wasn’t drugged. I just didn’t-”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Tony kneels on the cold, dirty floor next to him, not even sparing a thought for his pants. He pulls Steve’s hand into his lap and unwraps the tie. His hand is still bleeding though it’s starting to slow.</p><p>“Yes, I’m sure,” he says, throwing up his free hand in exasperation. “Surprised you even noticed I was bleeding though.”</p><p>Tony stills where he’s wiping Steve’s hand with disinfectant. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks quietly.</p><p>“What do you think it means, Tony?”</p><p>“I think it means that you’re jealous. Though you shouldn’t be and I’m not sure what I’ve done to make you think you should.”</p><p>“I’m not jealous!” he protests. Tony gives him a look that plainly says <em>oh really</em> and resumes cleaning his hand. Steve bites his lip. “Okay fine, maybe a little. But can you blame me? You’ve spent all night talking to her.”</p><p>“She spent the last month in Latveria, supposedly interviewing Dr. Doom for a journal article. She wanted to know who to give her information to.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p>Steve’s messed up; that much is obvious. “Tony-”</p><p>“You’re the only person I care about in this entire building,” Tony says softly. “At the beginning of the night, you spent almost an hour talking to Thor until Nat asked you to dance with her. You danced with her three times before you joined Sam at the bar and you’ve been there this whole time. I thought you were talking to Sam but apparently you’ve been focused on me instead. I’m sorry. If I’d known you were so worried, I would have joined you in a heartbeat.”</p><p>“Tony, no,” he says dismayed. “This is me, my insecurities. I should have trusted you. Don’t blame yourself for my insecurities.”</p><p>“It’s my fault you were feeling insecure, isn’t it?”</p><p>Steve’s hand cups Tony’s cheek, turning him to look at him. “Never,” he vows, heart breaking just a little when he sees how hurt Tony looks. “I was jealous that she had a piece of you, a piece of Iron Man, that I would never get to have because I was in the ice. You can’t do anything about that and I wouldn’t want you to because you wouldn’t be the same Tony that I know and love. I’m sorry, honey.”</p><p>Tony nods and Steve isn’t entirely certain if he’s taken what Steve said to heart but he isn’t going to argue especially after Tony asks, “Can we go upstairs? I think you need to be held and I want to hold you.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Steve says, holding out his good hand for Tony to take. “That sounds nice.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Happy Tears; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"If you start crying, I'm gonna cry too"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve cries the morning after his wedding. He cries during the wedding too but everyone cries during weddings so that isn’t so unusual. But he wakes up the morning after his wedding in a small villa in the south of Italy. The window is open, the gauzy curtains drifting in the light breeze. Golden sunlight streams through the window, lighting up the dust motes in the air, and falling on Tony’s back.</p><p>Tony.</p><p>His husband.</p><p>The man he married yesterday.</p><p>Tony sleeps on his stomach, has done since he got the reactor removed, celebrating the fact that he <em>can</em> sleep like that without the reactor pressing into his lungs. One hand is curled under the pillow but the other rests on top of it next to his head. It’s his left hand, the one with the ring. </p><p>The ring isn’t anything fancy, just a small strip of vibranium. It has <em>Shellhead</em> printed on the inside in Steve’s handwriting. Steve’s ring matches it, the vibranium traded out for a titanium-gold alloy, the <em>Shellhead</em> exchanged for <em>Winghead</em> in Tony’s neat print.</p><p>Steve stares at the ring for a long time before his vision goes blurry and he realizes he’s crying. He doesn’t even really know why except that maybe he thought that he would never reach this point and he certainly never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that it would be someone as incredible as <em>Tony</em> asleep beside him.</p><p>“You can’t cry,” Tony murmurs sleepily, not bothering to open his eyes. “If you start crying, I’m gonna cry too and it’s too early in the morning for a splotchy face and a dehydration headache.”</p><p>Steve laughs. Only Tony would say something like that.</p><p>He wipes his tears on corner of the sheets. Tony pats the bed next to him and Steve goes, laying down on his side. Still without opening his eyes, Tony scoots closer, pressing up against Steve, his body sleep-warm and soft.</p><p>“That’s better,” Tony whispers. </p><p>“No,” Steve disagrees, laying his arm over Tony’s back to tug him just a tiny bit closer. “It’s perfect.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Watching the Tides; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“It’s freezing. Come here”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by omg-just-peachy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve works for SHIELD. He’s seen some pretty traumatic things in his time as an agent. He knows how triggers can form and the moment he and Rhodey find Tony in the desert, shirt wrapped around his head, blisters forming on arms and chest, and something glowing in his chest, he knows that he’s looking at some pretty rough times ahead.</p><p>He tells Fury he’s taking the vacation time he’s accrued over five years and takes Tony home to Malibu. He tells him what Natasha discovered during his kidnapping, that she’d infiltrated SI, thinking that something was off, and the files she’d found on Stane’s computer. Tony cries into his shoulder, tells him he wants to shut down the weapons division. Steve’s long thought that that’s something Tony should do but he doesn’t say, “I told you so.” He just lets Tony run ideas for new directions by him and when they land and Tony immediately wants to hold a press conference, he agrees and then tells Happy to take them home instead after Tony falls asleep five minutes into the drive.</p><p>He brings Tony inside, bundles him up into the softest blankets they have - he’d seen where’d they kept him in the cave - and curls up next to him. He doesn’t mean to fall asleep, not when he hasn’t seen his partner in three months, but he does.</p><p>When he wakes up, the room is still dark but it’s ice-cold and Tony is nowhere to be seen. He fights off the ensuing wave of panic and then turns around to look for him. </p><p>Tony, as it turns out, is huddled by the window, knees tucked up under his chin as he watches the tide.</p><p>
  <em>In.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In.</em>
</p><p>“Sweetheart,” Steve murmurs. Tony jolts and looks over at him, eyes big and wide and scared, and Steve’s heart aches. He was never supposed to end up in this part of Steve’s life. “It’s freezing. Come here.”</p><p>Tony shakes his head. “No. I - I want to-” He looks back at the ocean and Steve suddenly gets it. </p><p>He stands up, bringing the blanket and a couple pillows with him, and walks over to Tony. Tony watches him silently, not saying anything until Steve is sitting down next to him.</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“If you’re gonna watch the ocean, you’re gonna watch the ocean but not when it’s cold enough to get hypothermia.”</p><p>“It’s not,” Tony says confusedly.</p><p>Steve gives him a look and wraps the blanket around their shoulders, tucking Tony in close to him.</p><p>“You don’t have to sit with me.”</p><p>Tony looks endlessly tired and stressed and Steve can’t help but kiss his forehead and then, when his eyes close, both eyelids. “I just got you back,” he says. “Can’t I hold you for a little while?”</p><p>Tony curls closer to him in answer. They sit in silence for a while and Steve almost thinks that Tony has fallen back asleep until he says, “We’re gonna be okay, right?”</p><p>Steve doesn’t like to lie to him and Tony doesn’t like to be lied to so he says, “Eventually. It’ll take a while and you’re going to go to therapy.”</p><p>“Ew,” Tony says immediately.</p><p>Steve smiles. “I’ll drag you kicking and screaming if I have to.”</p><p>“Maybe-” Tony bites his lip. “Maybe you could just go with me instead?”</p><p>He doesn’t ask him if he’s sure. If Tony wants someone there with him during his sessions, then Steve will be there for him, just like Tony was there for him after Bucky’s injury. “I can do that,” he says, kissing the top of Tony’s head.</p><p>Tony blinks slowly before turning back to the ocean. “We’re gonna be okay,” he whispers to himself and Steve nods. “We are.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Insomnia; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"I can't sleep" &amp; "Can I stay with you"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This thing between them, it’s new. </p><p>They’ve been living together for three years, have been friends for two years before that, but Bucky had only asked Tony out (”pulled your head out of your ass,” Natasha says) last week. They both lead busy lives and they hadn’t been able to manage a first date until earlier this evening.</p><p>It had been wonderful, more than what Bucky had expected and everything he’d been dreaming for. They’d fallen naturally into these new roles, the conversation flowing easily between them, as Tony’s foot slotted itself neatly between Bucky’s beneath the table. He’d blushed bright red but as Tony had just left his foot there, not trying to take anything further, he’d relaxed and soon it had been as natural as everything else. They’d gone for a walk in the park afterward, Tony stopping to pet every cute dog he saw, making Bucky’s heart beat faster every time Tony’s eyes lit up.</p><p>They had eventually had to call it a night and Bucky had left Tony at his bedroom door with a sweet kiss to his cheek and a promise of another date soon.</p><p>He’s in bed now, sort of dozing but mostly replaying every perfect second of the evening. He rolls over, cuddling the pillow close and watching it was Tony. His bedroom door is open because Alpine doesn’t believe in closed doors and so he doesn’t hear it when Tony walks in until Tony says, “I can’t sleep.”</p><p>“Hmm?” He sits up, a little startled but it really isn’t that strange for Tony to come to him late at night, complaining of sleeplessness. “Tony, doll, what are you still doing up?”</p><p>“Can’t sleep,” Tony repeats. He wraps his arms around his middle, rocking a little on his heels. “Can’t stop thinking about tonight and I - I loved it, don’t get me wrong - but I don’t want to end it there. So, you know. Can I stay with you?”</p><p>Bucky grins, more relieved than he’ll admit that Tony is as happy with the evening as he is. He nods. “Course you can.”</p><p>Tony’s face lights up with sheer delight and he all but dives for the bed, snuggling under the blankets and tucking himself up close to Bucky. “What were you thinking about?” he breathes against Bucky’s shoulder.</p><p>“You, doll,” Bucky murmurs, finally feeling like he can close his eyes and sleep. “Always you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. The Soldier; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"What happened back there?"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony is a little dazed but he’s fairly certain that he should remember the Winter Soldier grabbing him from his business lunch. He sits up slowly, trying to hide his wince from the sudden pain in his head. Carefully, he prods at the back of his head. Whatever it is, it’s covered with a large bandage but he suspects, judging from the sizable lump, that that’s why he can’t really remember what happened.</p><p>He glances again at the Winter Soldier (Barnes? Bucky? Who knows what he’s going by these days?). No one’s seen him since the thing with SHIELD and Hydra went down three months ago - though he knows Steve suspects that Natasha is in contact with him. Seeing him now is…jarring.</p><p>“What happened back there?” he asks.</p><p>The Soldier pauses in whatever it is he’s doing - cleaning a gun, maybe? - and says shortly, “Bomb.” He goes back to cleaning.</p><p>“Bomb,” Tony repeats. “And you - what - you just happened to be close enough to pull me out? What, are you watching me or something?”</p><p>“Yes,” the Soldier says, a small smirk on his face.</p><p>Tony narrows his eyes. “Why?” he demands.</p><p>The Soldier - no, you know what? Tony can’t do this. “What do I call you?” he asks suddenly. “I’ve been thinking of you as the Soldier in my head and I can’t keep doing that. It makes me feel like I’m treating you like you’re some kind of animal. What’s your name?”</p><p>He’s met with a wary, hesitant look. “Steve hasn’t told you?”</p><p>“That’s what <em>Steve</em> calls you,” Tony says, waving a dismissive hand. “What do <em>you</em> call you?”</p><p>“…James.”</p><p>Tony nods. “James. I like it. Short, easy to remember. Why were you watching me?”</p><p>James is looking at him bemusedly, hands stilled on the gun. “I’ve been watching all of you. Steve calls you <em>friends</em>. I thought I should know why before I-”</p><p>He stops but Tony thinks he can fill that last sentence in. “Before you come to the tower?”</p><p>James nods jerkily.</p><p>“So, what? This is your week to watch me?”</p><p>A shrug. “I watch you a lot. You’re fun to watch.”</p><p>Oh. That’s. <em>Oh</em>. Tony’s mouth opens, shuts, opens again. He sees the small spark of interest in James’ eyes, the way they darken just a bit, and that’s <em>interesting</em>, that is. Bucky Barnes had been the subject of several teenage fantasies when he had been younger (and maybe a couple adult ones as well - or maybe more than a couple but who’s counting) and, well, seeing James <em>now</em> when he’s bigger and wearing leather and with that <em>arm</em>.</p><p>He squirms uncomfortably and decides to change the subject before he digs himself into a hole with Steve’s brainwashed best friend. “How long are we here till?”</p><p>That gets him another shrug. “Natalia said she’s out looking for the guy. Said to sit tight until she contacts us.”</p><p>“Natalia,” he mouths silently. “Natasha? You’re in contact with Natasha? Steve was <em>right</em>?”</p><p>“No need to sound so surprised,” James says amusedly. “Steve’s right a lot.”</p><p>He throws him a Look and James chuckles. “Sounds like you’re doing better,” Tony says quietly. “You don’t sound so - murdery.”</p><p>“New memories come back everyday,” James mutters. “Not always good but enough to help me remember who I was an’ I liked him - me - whoever I used to be. Not sure if I’m still him but figured it’s not a bad option until I figured it out.”</p><p>Tony can understand that. After he’d come back from Afghanistan, when he had still been trying to figure out what parts of him had died in the desert and what parts had come back, he’d sometimes regressed into his old lifestyle. He doesn’t do that as much anymore, not after the disastrous birthday from when he’d been dying, but he gets what James is saying.</p><p>James shifts and the metal arm creaks ominously. “That doesn’t sound good,” Tony says, eyeing it curiously. It’s a marvel fo engineering, a wonder of biotechnology, and he’s aching to get his hands on it. But he won’t unless James asks him. It’s not like any other piece of tech. It’s a part of James. He has no right to just start tinkering with it.</p><p>“Hurts sometimes,” James says in a casual manner that probably belies how much actual pain he’s in.</p><p>“I could-” Tony starts to offer just as James says, “Want to take a look?”</p><p>Tony grins. “Can’t think of anything else to do while we wait for Natasha.”</p><p>James eyes him again, something dark and hungry crossing his expression for the briefest of moments. “Could think of <em>something</em>,” he mutters but he holds out his arm, shifting aside for Tony to sit next to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Adorable; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I’m fully capable of kicking your ass.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by yobucky</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony doesn’t get drunk often. He cites reason after reason - he’s a messy drunk, the paparazzi would love to get photos of him drinking, his 40th birthday party. The truth isn’t any of those. The truth is that Tony, when he’s being Tony and not putting on one of his personas, is an adorable drunk.</p><p>“One time, he bleped,” Rhodey tells them one night. “You know, that thing that cats do with their tongues? He did that and then didn’t notice for an hour.”</p><p>“He cried over a pomeranian,” Pepper informs them on a different occasion.</p><p>“He adopted all the cats out of an overfull shelter,” Happy says flatly. “There were a hundred and eighteen of them. He named them after the elements on the periodic table. They all live on a ranch down in Texas.”</p><p>Bucky, however, doesn’t have any occasion to see Tony drunk - at least not <em>real</em> Tony - until Nat and Clint’s wedding. It’s a private wedding with a bunch of ex-SHIELD agents to make for it <em>stays</em> private so Tony apparently feels no shame in getting drunk off of the expensive champagne he’d provided for the reception. He listens to all of the speeches while sobbing into his hands, proceeds to inform everyone that he’s so sad his friends are leaving him even though they were only changing floors in the tower, and then gets distracted by something fluffy and purring that Thor apparently brought just for him (Bucky’s pretty sure it’s an actual Tribble and that has him a little concerned but Thor isn’t worried at all so he decides it isn’t his concern).</p><p>At some point, Tony disappears and when Bucky eventually manages to track him down, he’s drunkenly threatening one of SHIELD’s mechanics, a burly guy named Mack who might actually be bigger than Bucky.</p><p>“I’m fully capable of kicking your ass,” Tony slurs, pointing a waving finger at Mack. Fortunately, Mack just looks amused.</p><p>“Okay, sweet thing,” Bucky says. He picks Tony up, slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Sorry about that,” he tells Mack.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Mack says, waving him off. “If this is the worst trouble he gets into all night, he’ll probably consider it a good one.”</p><p>“It better be the worst trouble. We’re going back upstairs to bed.”</p><p>“No,” Tony pouts, somehow managing to cross his arms even when he’s upside down. “Don’t wanna.”</p><p>“Yep, we’re going. Come on, we need to go say bye to Nat and Clint.”</p><p>“Don’t wanna talk to them. They’re abandoning me.”</p><p>Bucky’s really glad Tony can’t see his grin. “They’re not abandoning-”</p><p>Tony suddenly realizes that they’re walking away from his new enemy and exclaims, “Wait! Take me back! I hafta tell him I can take him.”</p><p>“I think he knows, sweet thing,” Bucky says. He glances over his shoulder. Mack is waving at them, not even bothering to hide his laughter. </p><p>He decides that saying bye to Nat and Clint is too much work when Tony suddenly attempts to squirm out of his arms and slither down his back so he can go right back to where he was. “Nope,” Bucky says and shifts Tony so that he’s being bridal carried instead. “You’re staying right here.”</p><p>Tony blinks owlishly at him before snuggling into his chest. “This is good too,” he informs him. He yawns, closes his eyes, and promptly starts snoring.</p><p>Bucky doesn’t sigh but it’s a close thing. “Alright, baby doll,” he mutters. “Let’s get you upstairs.”</p><p>He catches sight of Nat and Clint dancing together and waves at them to catch their attention. They see him and then see Tony. Nat is nice enough to hide her laughter behind her hand but Clint doesn’t even try. He mouths back a sarcastic, “Yeah, yeah,” and motions at the elevators. Nat nods and makes a little shooing motion.</p><p>As they stand in the elevator, he solemnly tells Tony, “When we get married, you’re not going anywhere near the champagne.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. An Unconventional Proposal; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“What is this? What are we really?” + "I can't pretend anymore"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by firebrands</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony drapes himself dramatically over the kitchen table wailing, “I can’t do it!”</p><p>Steve turns the page of his newspaper and idly asks, “What can’t you do anymore?”</p><p>“I can’t <em>pretend</em> anymore!”</p><p>“Is that right?”</p><p>The only other person in the kitchen is Bucky, who had been watching a podcast up to this point but has since removed his headphones and is watching Tony amusedly. “Tell us all about it,” Bucky says with a broad grin on his face.</p><p>Tony points at him. “How dare you mock my pain?” he screeches.</p><p>“Oh, are you in pain?” Steve asks, wholly unconcerned by the spectacle in front of him.</p><p>“I have been betrayed!” Tony exclaims. “Betrayed, I tell you, and I can’t pretend it’s okay any longer. My-” He stops, frowns, and then gestures between him and Steve as he curiously asks, “What is this? What are we really? Boyfriends doesn’t really sound like us but we’ve been doing this for too long to call each other fuckbuddies.”</p><p>Steve frowns thoughtfully. They <em>have</em> been doing for a couple months now. He hadn’t even realized it, the time had flown by so fast. It isn’t even like they’ve changed much other than adding sex into their friendship. Everything had come so naturally to them, including the sex.</p><p>“Partners in crime,” Bucky suggests.</p><p>“Or just partners,” Steve adds, smiling fondly down at Tony.</p><p>“Partners,” Tony muses. “I can do that.” He throws himself backwards to thrash about on the tables, starting back up where he’d left off. “My <em>partner</em>-” He stops and giggles to himself, face lighting up brilliantly at the word. Steve’s breath catches in his throat. Tony has always been eye-catching but he’s breathtaking now, even when he’s being this ridiculous.</p><p>“My partner left our bed this morning and didn’t even give me a good morning kiss and I am <em>betrayed</em>, I tell you!”</p><p>“You were asleep,” Steve points out. “How do you know I didn’t kiss you then?”</p><p>Tony gives him a deeply unimpressed look. “I know.”</p><p>“If you’re this broken up about it, you could kiss him now,” Bucky says.</p><p>“Nope,” Tony says, hopping up from the table. “Relationship ended with Steve. Now Bucky is my partner.”</p><p>Bucky makes a considering face as Steve lunges half-out of his chair to catch Tony around the middle and drag him into his lap.</p><p>“Oh no you don’t,” Steve growls. He drops a quick kiss on Tony’s laughing mouth. “We’re partners now-” </p><p>He stops. “Actually, I don’t like that word either.”</p><p>“What, partners?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Everything about them has come naturally, he thinks. He looks at Tony, hair still sleep-mussed, eyes dancing with laughter, and thinks what he’s thought since they began this three months ago: he wants to do this forever. He interlaces their fingers together and pulls Tony’s hand up to lay a kiss on his ring finger. “What about fiancé instead?” he whispers.</p><p>The smile drops away from Tony’s face. “Steve,” he whispers back. For a moment, Steve is worried but Tony doesn’t sound dismayed. He sounds…awed. “Do you mean it?”</p><p>“I’ve never meant anything more.”</p><p>“You can’t propose to me without a ring,” Tony says seriously.</p><p>Just as seriously, Steve replies, “Who says I don’t have one?” He’s had a ring for three months, waiting for the right moment. He’d thought the right moment would be another few months from now, when it would be more appropriate but this <em>feels</em> right. This feels like <em>them</em>.</p><p>Tony’s face lights up and he kisses Steve fiercely. “I expect a proper proposal tonight.”</p><p>Steve laughs as he kisses him back. “I would expect nothing less.”</p><p>“Tony,” Bucky interrupts. “I’ve thought about it. We can be partners.”</p><p>Steve freezes. “Excuse me, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “I have to go kill Bucky.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Undercover; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"You've hurt me enough" + "I'm not losing you again"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>requested by tonysbuttplug</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony bats ineffectually at Bucky’s hands, trying to shove him away. Bucky just gives him a deeply unimpressed look. To him, Tony is as weak as a kitten and about as adorable as one too.</p><p>“No!” Tony shrieks. “No, no, <em>no</em>! You can’t make me! You’ve hurt me enough!”</p><p>He manages a lucky swipe at Bucky’s hand, knocking the scissors from his hand and halfway across the room. They both look after the scissors for a moment and then Tony gives him a triumphant grin. Bucky sighs.</p><p>“Steve!” he shouts. He wraps his arm more securely around Tony, who’s now trying to squirm away. “I’m sorry I nicked your chin when your broke your arm last year and I’m sorry we can’t go see a stylist but we’re going undercover and your stylist likes to take pictures of your new hairstyle.”</p><p>“Because my hair is <em>good.</em>” Tony hisses at the scissors. “Those are not good.”</p><p>“Don’t know what you’re talking about. I cut my own hair for seventy years as the Winter Soldier.”</p><p>Tony looks aghast. “<em>That’s</em> why your hair was so bad? I thought Hydra just particularly hated you.”</p><p>“Hey!” Bucky protests mildly. </p><p>Steve appears in the doorway, arms crossed. “What’s he shrieking about now?”</p><p>“Tony doesn’t want me to cut his hair so he threw the scissors across the room. Could you get them for me?”</p><p>“You have two hands,” Tony points out. “Why can’t you get them?”</p><p>“Because the last time I let you go, you dove for the vents. It was real nice of you, doll, to make them big enough for Clint but I think we all know that I can’t fit in there. I’m not losing you again. Wheels are up tomorrow. You gotta be ready by then.”</p><p>Steve is smirking at the two of them. <em>He</em> had volunteered to pack their bags, leaving Bucky to wrestle a squirming, protesting Tony into submission so he could shave the beard and cut and dye his hair since Tony refuses to. Tony claims that it’s his “look” and his “brand” and he shouldn’t have to get rid of them if he doesn’t want to. Bucky’s argument is that he shouldn’t have volunteered for this mission if he hadn’t thought he could handle the undercover look.</p><p>Tony had argued back that there was no way he was letting his two boyfriends go on a three-month mission without him.</p><p>“Why not?” Steve had asked curiously.</p><p>“Sex,” Tony had said flatly. The conversation had derailed pretty quickly after that.</p><p>Steve hands him the scissors, still looking amused. </p><p>“Could you sit on him for me?” Bucky asks. “Can’t work if I’m trying to hold onto him.”</p><p>“What, you can’t just tie him down?”</p><p>Tony stills. Bucky stills. Steve raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t think about that?” he asks.</p><p>Bucky glances down at Tony, whose eyes have gotten big and round and dark. He looks like he’s barely breathing. “I’d need your help,” Bucky says. “Don’t want him running off while I’m getting rope.”</p><p>Steve tilts Tony’s chin up with a finger and hums thoughtfully. “He <em>has</em> been misbehaving, hasn’t he?” he comments. He slides two fingers from his other hand into Tony’s mouth, watching as he obediently sucks on them. “What do you think, sweetheart? Tie you up, let Bucky cut your hair, and then if you’ve been good, lay you back down and fuck you?”</p><p>Tony nods quickly and eagerly. Steve slides his fingers out of his mouth and cups his cheek, Tony leaning into it sweetly like he hadn’t just thrown the scissors across the room not five minutes earlier. Bucky wants to protest how pliant Tony’s being but he wants to disturb him less. </p><p>“Get the ropes,” he whispers to Steve, who heads for the closet, and stands with Tony in his arms to put him in the chair.</p><p>Tony goes where he’s put without even a peep of complaint. Bucky kisses his forehead, fondly amused even as he’s a little frustrated that this is what it takes for Tony to let him touch his hair. Tony hums under his kiss, hands twitching like he wants to reach up and grab onto him but he doesn’t.</p><p>“Good boy. Now was that so difficult?” he murmurs and Tony sags back in the chair like his strings have been cut. He’s pliant through Steve coming back with the ropes, through being stripped and tied, through the haircut, and all the way up through Steve eventually taking him out of the chair and spreading him out on their bed. </p><p>“Good boy,” Bucky whispers again and Tony shivers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. With Him; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Why aren't you with her?"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He finds Tony in the workshop, doing something with a set of blueprints that Steve sort of understands but is mostly completely confused by. “Hey, sweetheart,” he calls softly, trying not to startle him. He comes up behind him, wraps his arms around Tony’s middle, and kisses his cheek.</p><p>Tony smiles at him but it’s a little confused. “What are you doing down here?” he asks. </p><p>“Why wouldn’t I be down here?”</p><p>“I thought Nat said Bucky showed up.”</p><p>“…Yes?” Steve says slowly.</p><p>“So why aren’t you with him?” Tony asks, brow furrowing in that cute confused look he sometimes gets when something is particularly perplexing. “Shouldn’t you be upstairs?”</p><p>Steve is confused now too. “You don’t want me down here?” he asks. It had been Nat’s suggestion actually, to check on Tony and make sure he knows just how much he’s loved. Steve had thought it a little silly actually, unable to understand why Tony <em>wouldn’t</em> think that.</p><p>Nat had given him that little condescending smile of hers and said, “All the stories are about you and Bucky.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Steve had asked. “He’s my Rhodey. Tony knows that.”</p><p>But she had given him a look like she didn’t think Tony knew that at all and since Bucky was sedated for the removal of whatever Hydra had given him to make sure he couldn’t run off, Steve had ducked downstairs to check on his absentee husband.</p><p>Tony turns and kisses the tip of his nose. “I always want you down here but I thought you’d want to be with Bucky. I know if it was Rhodey, I wouldn’t leave his side for days.”</p><p>“Nat thought you might be worried.”</p><p>Tony raises his eyebrows. “About what?”</p><p>“About me. And Bucky,” Steve says. It sounds even more ridiculous than when he’d thought it. He doesn’t see why they would have married if they couldn’t trust each other. “About me cheating on you with Bucky.”</p><p>Tony’s mouth makes a little “o” of surprise. “<em>Are</em> you going to cheat on me with Bucky?”</p><p>“Never!” Steve swears indignantly. “I wouldn’t do that to you!”</p><p>“Then I don’t see why I should be concerned,” Tony says with a small shrug, turning back to his work. “Anyway, you said he’s your Rhodey and Rhodey’s like my brother and I’d be a little concerned if you had feelings for Bucky like that.”</p><p>For the first time since Nat put that idea in his head, Steve smiles, overwhelmed with fond affection for his husband. He presses his lips to the side of Tony’s head, breathing in the smell of his shampoo and a little bit of motor oil. Home. Tony smells like home and even if the motor oil is a little off-putting, Steve would happily smell it for the rest of his life if it meant he could come back to Tony in his life.</p><p>“Glad to hear you’re not worried,” he murmurs.</p><p>Tony hums. “If you want I could come upstairs to sit with you but I thought I’d get a jump on Bucky’s present.”</p><p>Steve turns to look at Tony’s work and realizes, for the first time, that it’s an arm. “You’re making him an arm?” he asks. “You know his is still functional?”</p><p>“I know,” Tony assures him. He taps on the reactor. “But I know when I was in Afghanistan, part of the reason I wanted the reactor was because the car battery was what <em>they</em> put in me. I thought Bucky might want another option.”</p><p>Steve growls, spinning Tony around to kiss him fiercely, hands framing his face. “My wonderful inventor,” he whispers between kisses. “Always thinking of other people.”</p><p>Tony’s hands are holding onto his wrists loosely and he hums his delight when Steve kisses him again. “So is that a no?” he asks eventually. “Don’t go upstairs. Stay down here and work?”</p><p>“If you want or come upstairs if you want,” Steve suggests. “Either way - whether Bucky likes the arm or not - as soon as he’s better, I’m taking you to bed and not letting you leave for a week.”</p><p>Tony laughs and shoos him out the door, turning back to his project. Steve watches through the glass, shaking his head in wonder. A whole arm.</p><p>“And Nat had been <em>worried</em>,” he scoffs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. It's a Trap; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"It is a trap. Get out!"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by krzyktty101</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s a trap, Steve,” Tony whispers into his comm. “Get out.”</p><p>“No,” he whispers back. “I can see her. I just need to get a little closer…”</p><p>“Yeah, I can see her too,” Tony shoots back. “And I can see Barton because you told me to wait at the top of this structure and that’s why I’m telling you it’s a trap. You take one more step, he’s going to shoot you.”</p><p>Steve pauses. “Nat has three shots up on us. We need to catch her up.”</p><p>“We will,” Tony says soothingly. “I just need to figure out another route for you to take.”</p><p>“It’ll take too long,” Steve says, shaking his head. “She’ll be gone by then. I’m going in.”</p><p>He takes two steps into the corridor, towards Nat’s flashing vest - and his vest immediately lights up purple before going dead. Clint crows from wherever he’s perched and Nat is giggling but Steve can only barely hear them over Tony’s groaning. </p><p>“Sorry, Tony,” he says calmly. “But I saw a shot. I had to take it.”</p><p>“I saw a shot,” Tony mimics mockingly, reminding Steve of that meme Thor had shown him the other day, the one with the sponge. “I had to take it. No, you know what?”</p><p>Steve’s vest flashes, coming back to life, and just as quickly, it flashes red and dies again, telling him that Tony’s shot him with the laser gun.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yes,” Tony says, sounding self-satisfied. Steve can imagine the look on his face, the smug one that he always wants to kiss off. He has half a mind to go and find him now, just so he <em>can</em> kiss it away but instead, he melts back into the shadows of the structure to find a new hiding place.</p><p>“Team building at laser tag,” Tony mutters. “’We should go!’ Steve says. ‘It’ll be fun!’ Steve says. Yeah, maybe, but you <em>had</em> to go and let everyone pick their own teams.”</p><p>“You don’t like being on my team?” Steve asks amusedly.</p><p>“No,” Tony says petulantly. “I like winning. Next time, we should go with an escape room. Or better yet, we can stay at the tower for a movie night and let me have my wicked way with you under the blankets.”</p><p>“Wicked way,” Steve mouths. “You don’t think Nat will have a problem with that?”</p><p>“Of course she will. But <em>Barton</em> will be <em>scandalized</em> and that’s the best part.”</p><p>Steve shakes his head and laughs as he rounds a corner, surprising Bruce, who he immediately shoots. Bruce’s vest lights up blue and he groans. “You snooze, you lose!” Steve shouts as he races off.</p><p>“Nice going,” Tony says sarcastically. “Better hope the Hulk doesn’t come out.”</p><p>“I saw a shot-”</p><p>“And you had to take it. Yeah, I know.”</p><p>He turns another corner and almost bumps into Tony himself, who’s jumping down from a platform. He catches him, steadying him with his hands on his waist.</p><p>“Hey, sweetheart,” Steve says.</p><p>Tony beams up at him. “Hi, honey. Having fun?”</p><p>“I’m with you. Of course, I am.”</p><p>Tony coos and leans up to press a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. He pulls away and hefts his gun. Steve has less than a second to register what Tony’s going to do before he’s been shot. His vest lights up red and dies. Steve stifles a groan as Tony dashes away, cackling like mad.</p>
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<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Get Some Sleep; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"If you want me come and get me"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“JARVIS, call Tony,” Thor said.</p><p>A moment later, Tony’s voice said, “Hey, Point Break, what’s up?”</p><p>“I am in our bed,” Thor replied. “Waiting. As I have been for almost three hours. You said you would come to bed at a reasonable time.”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“Tony, I know you’re still on the line.”</p><p>“See, I did say that. But you know, genius waits for no man and it wasn’t waiting for me when it decided that I needed to be working on an update for that drawing app I made for Steve.”</p><p>“Tony.”</p><p>“I’m sorry but I really am busy,” Tony said, not sounding apologetic at all.</p><p>“You’ve slept in your workshop for the last five nights. Come to bed, beloved,” Thor said, pitching his voice low and seductive in that way that he knows makes Tony squirm.</p><p>“…No.”</p><p>“I will be waiting for you naked.”</p><p>“…No?”</p><p>He couldn’t help but smile at the question in Tony’s voice. “Tony, beloved, you need sleep. Human immune systems don’t function very well when you stay awake.”</p><p>“If you want me,” Tony said distractedly, “come and get me. Otherwise, I’m staying down here.”</p><p>“Do you truly think I won’t go down there?”</p><p>“I - no? Or is it yes?”</p><p>“I’m coming down there. Save your work.”</p><p>“You’re not,” Tony scoffed.</p><p>Thor stood, already grabbing his robe from over the bedpost. “I am. Save it.”</p><p>Tony harrumphed and cut the line. That was okay. Thor was already in the elevator. Tony might try to run but there were only so many places in the tower that he could go and all of them meant he wouldn’t still be working. He would find his wayward lover and bring him back to their bed and in the morning, he would remind him just why Tony needed to be sharing his bed and not sleeping in the workshop.</p><p>An excellent plan, if he said so himself.</p>
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<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Date Me Instead; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"No matter what happens, you’re not allowed to fall in love with me."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by ishipallthings</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why can’t you just <em>tell</em> me who it is?” Tony whines.</p><p>Steve doesn’t bother looking up from his homework. “Because I don’t love you,” he says flatly.</p><p>“Rude! And a lie!” </p><p>Yeah, that’s true though Tony doesn’t know how just true it is. “Well, maybe I’m nervous.”</p><p>“Why would you be nervous to tell me? I’m your best friend.”</p><p>“I’m not nervous to tell you. I’m nervous about what you’ll do if I tell you.”</p><p>“What I’ll - I’m <em>offended</em>. I am the epitome of discreet.”</p><p>Steve puts his pencil down and levels an unimpressed look at Tony’s shirt, which is pink with sparkly letters that say <em>Baby Slut</em> across the front. Tony looks down at it as well and scoffs.</p><p>“This was all I had left to wear. You can’t judge me based on my sartorial choices.”</p><p>“That shirt doesn’t belong anywhere near the word <em>sartorial</em>. And besides, isn’t that exactly what I should be judging your discreetness by?” Steve asks.</p><p>“Hmm,” Tony says, tapping his chin. He’s attempting to grow a beard and failing miserably at it but that hasn’t stopped him from trying. “See, I still don’t think that’s it.” He rolls over onto his back and stretches his arms and legs out, making a low, satisfied sound when his back pops. Steve subtly adjusts his jeans.</p><p>“When’s the last time you went out on a date?” Tony asks.</p><p>Steve takes a second too long to think about it and Tony exclaims, “Aha! That’s it! You don’t know what to do on a date.”</p><p>That’s probably fair enough. He’s pretty sure the last time he went on a date - that he knew was a date and not whatever sneaky thing Rachel had been trying - had been with Peggy and that had been almost five years ago back when they were still in high school, back when he’d still been trying to get over his feelings for Tony. It hadn’t really been fair to her and she had known it, even told him when she broke up with him that he should just ask Tony out.</p><p>“So you just need to feel more confident,” Tony continues, unaware of the direction Steve’s thoughts have taken. “And then you can tell me who it is that you’re madly in love with.” His mouth twists oddly, an expression appearing on his face that Steve’s never seen before - something almost <em>wistful</em>. “And then you can ask them out and make beautiful babies.”</p><p>“We’re not going to be making beautiful babies,” Steve says before he can stop himself though he’s sure that he and Tony would.</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“Because it’s biologically impossible.”</p><p>“Oh,” Tony says, face falling even more before he perks back up. “So it’s a man? Well, that’s great!”</p><p>“It is?”</p><p>“Yeah! You can go on a few practice dates with me and then you’ll feel confident enough to ask them out!” His chirpy voice is completely at odds with the disappointed look in his eyes and, for the first time in five years, since he left Peggy intending to ask Tony out only to find out that Tony was going out with Rumiko, there’s a stirring of hope in Steve’s heart.</p><p>“Practice dates with you?” he asks, already starting to plan how to turn their practice dates into real ones.</p><p>“Yep! Course, we’ll need to set some boundaries - no kissing obviously,” Tony rattles off. “Nothing too romantic and of course, no matter what happens, you’re not allowed to fall in love with me.” He winks and bounds up from Steve’s bed. “I’m going to go back to my room, see if Rhodey-bear has any suggestions for date night.”</p><p>He’s almost at the door when Steve, unwilling to wait a second longer, says, “Too late.”</p><p>Tony pauses, hand on the doorknob. “What?” he asks curiously.</p><p>“You said don’t fall in love with you,” Steve says, pushing on. “Too late.”</p><p>He’s never seen Tony speechless but he is now, gaping at him, eyes bulging like a fish. “Close your mouth,” Steve adds. “You’ll catch flies like that.”</p><p>Tony abruptly shuts his mouth. “You love me?” he squeaks, then clears his throat and repeats, in a deeper voice, “I mean, you love me?”</p><p>Steve nods silently.</p><p>“<em>Steve!</em> You never said anything!”</p><p>He shrugs. “You had Rumiko and then Pepper and then-”</p><p>“I don’t need you to list everyone I’ve ever dated. But <em>why</em> didn’t you say anything?”</p><p>“I guess because-”</p><p>“You must have known I would’ve said yes,” Tony whispers. Steve stops dead in the middle of his sentence, slowly looking up at him, heart leaping into his throat.</p><p>“You would?” he breathes.</p><p>Tony nods, barely more than the slightest movement.</p><p>“Would you…would you still say yes?”</p><p>Tony nods again, a small smile spreading across his face. </p><p>“Tony, will you go out with me tonight? A real date, I mean, not a pretend one?”</p><p>In the next second, he has a lapful of a laughing, smiling Tony Stark, repeating, “Yes!” over and over again until Steve hears it even when Tony’s too busy kissing him to say it.</p>
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<a name="section0041"><h2>41. I'm Alive; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Hear that? I'm alive. I'm right here."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by lo-anlurui</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For a man in a metal suit, Tony gets injured with alarming frequency, usually because he’s done something that none of the other baseline humans can do - like fly into a burning building or into the depths of the ocean or tackle the maniac with a cannon the size of an elephant.</p><p>And Bucky gets it. He does. After all, he frequently does the same thing. But there’s a difference between Tony’s suit falling apart, leaving behind a soft, squishy human, and Bucky getting injured. He has the serum, bastardized as it may be, and Tony does not.</p><p>He can still picture Tony dropping from the sky when he finally trudges up to bed. The way the suit had gone dead with one blast from that EMP cannon, Bucky yelling frantically for JARVIS to come back online, rushing toward Tony’s prone, still - too still - body. Tony had been declared fine, nothing more than a few cuts and bruises, but Bucky hadn’t been able to stop thinking about how Tony is getting older. He won’t always be able to walk off a blow like that.</p><p>The lights are dim when he enters their room, only the lamp by the bed still turned on. Tony seems to have been dozing but he stirs as soon as Bucky starts undressing.</p><p>“Wasn’t sure you were coming up tonight,” Tony says quietly.</p><p>“Where else would I be?”</p><p>“In the gym still. Destroying my hard work.”</p><p>“JARVIS is the one who fabricates the punching bags,” he says automatically but it feels like he’s just saying the lines. </p><p>Tony cocks his head, studying him. “You were really worried, weren’t you?” he asks.</p><p>Bucky nods, unable to say the words. </p><p>“Come here,” Tony urges, laying back down. For a moment, Bucky hesitates. Tony’s <em>come here</em> usually means sex and he’s decidedly not in the mood for that tonight. Tony smiles ruefully. “Not for whatever you’re thinking. Just…come here.” He waits until Bucky is lying beside him before pulling his head onto his chest.</p><p>From this distance, he can hear the steady hum of the arc reactor, feel Tony’s heartbeat beneath his cheek, smell Tony’s unique scent of metal and coffee and coconut blended together. He feels solid, <em>alive.</em></p><p>“Hear that?” Tony whispers, stroking his hair. “I’m alive. I’m right here.”</p><p>“You might not always be,” Bucky mutters, voicing his fear for the first time since he thought about it. It terrifies him, the thought that one day, Tony will be gone and he’ll be alone again. </p><p>“Honey, that’s true of any of us, even you. You think it doesn’t scare me half to death when you get shot or when you do something that somehow manages to break that beautiful arm of yours?” Tony asks, curling closer around him. Bucky can’t hear Tony’s heartbeat anymore and he almost panics but then he turns his head just a little and there it is, thrumming low and steady and reassuring.  “That’s our life. We chose this. It’s terrifying when things go wrong but you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t out there everyday risking your life and I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t doing the same.”</p><p>“I don’t want to lose you,” Bucky whispers, terrified that if he says it out loud, it’ll happen.</p><p>Tony smiles, kisses his forehead. “You won’t. I’m right here, with you.”</p>
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<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Disobedient; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Kitten, don’t make me tell you twice.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tony, come here,” Bucky ordered sharply.</p><p>He didn’t get an answer, not that he had expected one. There was something bubbling on the stove though so he knew that Tony had to be nearby. He wouldn’t leave something like that.</p><p>“Kitten,” he said, voice going low, silky. “Don’t make me tell you twice.”</p><p>Another beat and then Tony’s head peeked out from around the corner.</p><p>Bucky held up his phone, raising his brows questioningly. “Want to tell me what this was about?”</p><p>Tony’s eyes were wide, innocent, as he replied, “I just wanted you to know that I missed you.”</p><p>“I had a meeting today. A very important meeting.” He prowled closer. Tony tensed but didn’t dart away. “Do you have any idea what would might have happened if someone had seen those pictures on my phone?” He didn’t wait for an answer before continuing, “Someone might have seen them and then I would have gone to prison because I’d have to kill them for looking at you.”</p><p>From this distance, he could see that Tony was in that silky little robe Bucky had gotten him for their first anniversary and the panties he’d bought him for their second. Someone was clearly aiming for a fun night but he wasn’t so sure he should reward Tony’s behavior like that.</p><p>Tony wrinkled his nose. “Sounds dramatic,” he teased.</p><p>“Just doing what’s necessary. <em>You</em>, kitten, are far too pretty to let just anyone see ya,” he drawled. Tony was contemplating that when he lunged for him, scooping him up with one arm and setting him on his hip. </p><p>Tony seemed torn between giggling and gasping and he compromised with an adorable hiccup as he grabbed Bucky around the neck, holding on as Bucky set off for their bedroom. </p><p>“I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Tony said, breathed really. “I was just showing you why you should hurry back home instead of working late <em>again</em>.”</p><p>Bucky stopped. “Is that what this is all about? You were feeling lonely?”</p><p>Tony bit his lip and then nodded.</p><p>The irritation faded from Bucky’s mind and he sighed. “Oh, kitten, all you had to do was <em>ask</em>.”</p><p>“I know,” Tony assured him, eyes lighting up mischievously. “But this was more fun.”</p><p>And just like that, Bucky’s worry disappeared. He smirked. “More fun, huh? Well let me show you just what your ‘fun’ gets you.”</p><p>“Is it a spanking?” Tony asked eagerly. “Is it <em>two</em> spankings?”</p><p>“Not much of a punishment if you’re looking forward to it, now is it? Nah, I think I’m gonna tie you to the bed, look atcha while I get myself off.”</p><p>“What?” Tony asked, dismayed. “No.”</p><p>It was a lie. He was never able to resist Tony when he looked like that, no matter how naughty he’d been. But the idea got to Tony every single time and Bucky liked that. “Yep,” he said decisively. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. First Time; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"I’ve never loved anybody like I love you."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by maguna-stxrk</p><p>Sequel to Chapter 40</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve tosses the towel somewhere in the direction of the laundry basket. It probably doesn’t make it but he doesn’t care enough to check because when he turns back around, Tony is making grabby hands at him. He chuckles and climbs back onto the bed, Tony tugging him closer so he can wrap around Steve, clinging to him like a limpet.</p><p>“How was that?” he asks, a little nervously. Tony has more experience with sex than Steve can even imagine. “Was that good?”</p><p>“Don’t fish for compliments,” Tony says tartly, swatting at Steve’s left pec. “You know you’re the best I’ve ever had.”</p><p>“I am?” Steve asks, surprised. He’d thought it was <em>good</em> but the <em>best</em>?</p><p>Tony stills. “Steve, you know you’re it for me, right? And that - that makes this special.”</p><p>He doesn’t say anything. He knows that he loves Tony and he knows that Tony loves him too but he also knows that Tony gives a little bit of his heart to everyone he meets. And he supposes that, maybe deep down, he’d always kind of thought that Tony would eventually move on from him.</p><p>He doesn’t want to say that though. He knows that Tony has insecurities upon insecurities and he doesn’t want to add to that. But Tony must read it in his face or something because he sighs and pushes Steve over onto his back, straddling his waist.</p><p>“Listen to me,” Tony says seriously, eyes shining with a sincerity that he only ever uses with Steve. “Listen to me very closely. I have never loved anybody like I love you. Not Rumiko, not Pepper, certainly not Sunset or Ty. <em>You</em> are the one that I want, the <em>only</em> one that I’ll ever want, and maybe that sounds kind of corny - fuck, it probably is corny - but it’s the truth. I. Love. You.” </p><p>He punctuates his words by jabbing his finger into Steve’s chest. Steve catches his hand on the last jab, pulling Tony down so he can kiss him. Tony hums, pleased with either himself or Steve, he isn’t sure which.</p><p>“You’re it for me too, you know,” Steve says when he pulls away.</p><p>“Good. Because Rhodey says I’m like superglue. You can’t get rid of me if you tried.”</p><p>Steve frowns. “Didn’t you say that superglue can be dissolved with acetone?”</p><p>Tony opens his mouth and then pauses. “That’s beside the point,” he eventually says. “<em>I</em> can’t be dissolved with acetone.” His eyes light up excitedly. “Although did you know that if you use enough hand sanitizer-”</p><p>Steve kisses him to shut him up. “I have no idea where that sentence was going,” he mumbles. “But I don’t need to hear it when we’re naked in bed together.”</p><p>“You’re no fun,” Tony pouts, sticking out his lower lip.</p><p>He thumbs at it, making Tony giggle. “That’s not what you were saying a couple minutes ago.”</p><p>Tony gasps dramatically, throwing his hand to his forehead as he swoons. “Why Steven Grant Rogers, are you implying that I’m a - no, it’s just too horrible to even say it.”</p><p>Steve catches him before he rolls off the bed and teases, “You’re the one with the Baby Slut t-shirt.”</p><p>“It’s the only clean shirt I had.”</p><p>“You did laundry two days ago.”</p><p>“Lies and slander!”</p><p>Steve laughs too but it quickly fades as he takes in the way Tony’s eyes crinkle when he smiles and the way he hiccups when he’s laughed too long. Tony tilts his head, looking at him curiously.</p><p>“I really do love you,” Steve says quietly.</p><p>Tony beams. “I love you too.”</p>
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<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Don't Worry, Nat's Got a Plan; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by marvelousstevetony</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nat is mad.</p><p>Eyes narrowed, brows furrowed, clenched teeth <em>mad</em>. Furious, even! She feels more than sees Clint slide into the seat next to her. His hand comes up to grip the back of her neck, waiting until she tenses - a Widow <em>never</em> shows her neck to anyone - and relaxes - Clint isn’t anyone - before gently massaging out the tension.</p><p>“Who stuck a baton up your ass?” he asks.</p><p>She’s startled out of her anger and pulls away just so she can give him a weird look.</p><p>He shrugs unconcernedly. “Thought you might be offended if I asked what’s got your panties in a twist.”</p><p><em>Clint</em>. They’re lucky the rest of the team is as weird as they are, that Tony, who can spend hours in the workshop, doesn’t mind Clint spending hours in the vents or that Bruce, who meditates to keep himself calm, doesn’t care that Nat does the same thing through dance.</p><p>She hears another sigh and glares at the coffeepot again. “Look at them,” she hisses, gesturing toward the stove.</p><p>“Yeah?” Clint says slowly. “It’s Steve and Tony?”</p><p>“And what are they doing?”</p><p>“…Steve and Tony things?”</p><p>She slams her hand down on the table. Tony jumps and then slips back into his pre-coffee daze. “No! Steve is <em>pining</em> and Tony doesn’t notice.”</p><p>“I don’t think he’s pining,” Clint says doubtfully.</p><p>Nat gestures at the two. As one, they both tilt their heads to look at Steve, who’s carefully pouring half a tablespoon of fat-free milk and a few heaping teaspoons of sugar into Tony’s coffee. Tony, sitting a few feet away at the bar, perks up as soon as he sees the coffee, making grabby hands at it.</p><p>Steve sets it down in front of him with a soft smile. “Try not to drink it all at once,” he says.</p><p>Tony makes a garbled sound that Nat can’t understand at all but Steve apparently does because he responds, “I know but just try.”</p><p>Obligingly, Tony takes an obnoxiously slow sip, slurping at the coffee noisily. Nat winces but Steve just laughs and ruffles Tony’s hair. “Atta boy,” he says.</p><p>To Nat’s surprise, Tony’s cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. “Thanks, Winghead,” he mutters into the coffee.</p><p>“Now kiss,” she orders under her breath.</p><p>“They’re not dolls, Nat,” Clint comments. “Hey, Cap! Could you pour me a cup?”</p><p>“No,” Steve says immediately. “You have two working legs.”</p><p>“Aw coffee,” Clint laments. “How come you’ll get Tony some?”</p><p>“Because I’m prettier than you.”</p><p>Clint maturely sticks his tongue out at Tony, who retaliates by thumbing his nose at him. Children. Nat works with children.</p><p>“Now, now,” Steve says idly. “I like all of my teammates the same: Tony, Thor-” He pretends to check his hand. “Cliff.”</p><p>Clint gapes at him before pointing wildly. “Rude! That was rude! Nat, did you see what he just did?”</p><p>Tony cackles. Nat doesn’t bother hiding her smile. It wouldn’t do for Clint to think she likes him best even if it is true. “I saw nothing, Cliff,” she says, standing and heading for the fridge. She’s thinking eggs for breakfast, possibly omelets but maybe just scrambled.</p><p>“Betrayed by my own teammate,” Clint says mournfully, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. He joins her at the fridge, pulling the bacon out and opening it so he can start slicing off some of the fat.</p><p>It’s while she’s getting out the egg carton that she sees it out of the corner of her eye: Tony is jabbering on about something, his voice designated to the background because she’s pretty sure it’s just about a movie that he saw the other day, when Steve quietly says, “Please shut up so I can kiss you.” Tony immediately goes quiet, tilting his head up. It’s familiar, their kiss, easy, practiced, like they’ve done it a million times.</p><p>“What?” she cries, spinning around. But when she’s facing them, Tony is demurely sipping at his coffee and Steve is all the way on the other side of the kitchen, checking the calendar for the day. “What?” she says again, more confused this time. She knows what she saw…doesn’t she?</p><p>“What what?” Tony asks.</p><p>“But you - him-”</p><p>Tony raises an eyebrow and Steve frowns. “We what?”</p><p>She looks between the two of them frantically, trying to put together the image of them kissing with the incongruous way they look now. “I saw you!”</p><p>“Saw what?” Steve asks. “Nat, are you feeling okay?”</p><p>“Maybe she was seeing something she wanted to see,” Clint suggests.</p><p>She shrieks her frustration and turns back to the fridge, missing the sly grins Steve and Tony give each other behind her back. Oh she’ll get them to kiss alright - she’s already got a plan.</p>
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<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Tony's Birthday; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by rinkitsune</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony wakes to the sounds of bickering floating in from the kitchen.</p><p>“You know what, Buck?” Steve says. Tony can practically <em>hear</em> the Patented Captain America’s Disapproving Glare he must be wearing. “Call me that <em>one more time</em>, see what happens.”</p><p>“Ooh,” Bucky replies mockingly. “Am I supposed to be scared of you?” He starts to sing, loudly and a little off-key, “<em>When Captain America throws his mighty shield, all those who</em>-”</p><p>“Shut up! Do you want to wake up Tony?” Steve hisses.</p><p>Tony calls, “Too late! Tony’s awake.” He wraps the blanket around his shoulders and wanders out to the kitchen just in time to see Steve hit the back of Bucky’s head.</p><p>“Nice going, dumbass.”</p><p>He turns to Tony with a bright smile. “You’re up early, sweetheart,” he says. It isn’t really a question but Tony can hear the inquiry anyway.</p><p>“It’s my birthday!” Tony says cheerfully. “I’m always up early on my birthday.”</p><p>“Oh,” Bucky says. He glances at Steve. “You know, I feel like that’s something Jim should have mentioned when we asked him what we should do.”</p><p>“Why?” Tony asks. “What were you planning on doing?” He shuffles around the corner to give first Bucky a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth and then Steve.</p><p>Steve gestures to the stove. “Breakfast in bed.”</p><p>“Ooh is that french toast?” Tony asks eagerly. “Cause I’ll get back in bed for french toast.”</p><p>“Doll, you’re already up,” Bucky says, snagging Tony’s waist with his arm. He pulls him in for a longer kiss, seemingly uncaring of his morning breath. “No need to go back to bed just yet.”</p><p>“Yet?” Tony squirms out of his arms, dancing over to the stove to snag a cooling piece of bacon from a plate.</p><p>“Well, ya know, thought we’d spend the day in bed pampering you,” Bucky drawls.</p><p>“But that’s just a regular Saturday.” He pouts just a little. “I wanna do something special. It’s my <em>birthday</em>.”</p><p>Steve pulls a brightly colored bag out from under the counter and passes it to him. “That’s why we got you this.”</p><p>Tony peeks inside it and squeaks, “Bed sounds good.”</p><p>His boyfriends exchange smug grins and this time, when Bucky tugs him onto his lap, he goes happily. “Thought you’d say that,” Steve says, very self-satisfied.</p><p>Bucky tilts Tony’s head back onto his shoulder, kissing him again. “Happy birthday, doll,” he murmurs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Bad Guy; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>‘Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy’</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve comes to a stop beside the interrogation room. Bucky is already there of course, glaring down Iron Man with his best Winter Soldier glare. The armor seems unimpressed. For all Steve knows, the man inside the armor could be asleep - or maybe there isn’t a man in there at all. Maybe it’s a robot like Tony’s been theorizing the entire time.</p><p>“You know, everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy,” Steve says as he opens the door. Bucky glances at him and the armor straightens up from its slouch.</p><p>“Is that so?” the armor asks, coming across as amused.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“But you don’t think so?”</p><p>“No I don’t,” Steve says. He pulls up the files they have on Iron Man, sending a silent thanks to Tony for all the work he put in, upgrading the helicarrier. “See, I’ve been looking into you. Accounts of petty arson - but just old warehouses - some theft - two sticks of gum from a gas station. I mean, really, a gas station?”</p><p>“Not your most impressive work,” Bucky says.</p><p>“No, that would be reserved for your apparent vendetta against Stane Industries, a company that SHIELD has been looking into, long thought to have ties to the Ten Rings and is believed to be responsible for the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark. And even then, your attacks never cause a single death and rarely any injuries. So, what’s the deal?”</p><p>Iron Man is silent.</p><p>“Right, well, you think on that. We’ll be back tomorrow. Come on, Buck.”</p><p>The armor stays silent as they leave but it’s a contemplative sort of silence, not a stony one.</p><p>“You think that’ll do anything?” Bucky asks as they leave.</p><p>Steve shrugs. “Hope so. I don’t think he’s as bad as they say but maybe it’s all an act. Maybe he’ll change his mind by the time we come back tomorrow. In the meantime-”</p><p>“Tony texted earlier. Said he got home earlier today.”</p><p>“No shit?” Steve asks excitedly.</p><p>“Language.”</p><p>Steve glares at the smug grin on Bucky’s face. “Would you let it go?” he complains. “It was one time and it just slipped out.”</p><p>“Never letting you live that down. Ever.”</p><p>They board the Quinjet still bickering, subsiding into silence once they’re in the air. It’s a few hours back to New York from the helicarrier and Bucky takes advantage of the time to sleep. Steve pulls out a sketchbook, passing the time with a quick drawing of Bucky asleep. He knows Tony, who absolutely adores the Winter Soldier suit, will appreciate it.</p><p>It’s dark when they land. Dark enough that Tony’s probably asleep so they’re quiet as JARVIS welcomes them home, directing them up to the penthouse. Stark Resilient has been good to Tony, to <em>them,</em> and Stark Tower is a shining beacon of clean energy, lighting up the New York skyline. </p><p>The lights are off in the penthouse but with the lights from the city filtering in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, it’s easy for the two super soldiers to pick their way across the living room toward their bedroom.</p><p>Tony is indeed asleep, curled up in the center of their bed, clutching a pillow to his chest. Steve is pretty sure it’s his. He strips off his uniform before Bucky does, crawling into their bed to curl up next to his sleeping husband. The dipping of the mattress must wake Tony up because he’s blinking awake by the time Steve is settled with one of the other pillows.</p><p>“Hey, sweetheart,” he whispers, reaching out to brush Tony’s hair off his forehead. “Good day?”</p><p>Tony nods drowsily. “Did some work in the workshop today.”</p><p>Steve purses his lips. He and Bucky have never been allowed into the workshop, supposedly because it has top secret Stark tech in there but he’s sure he’s seen Rhodey down there before. He tries not to let it bother him. Poly relationships can be difficult and they all have their areas where they like to hide. The workshop just happens to be Tony’s.</p><p>“What about you?” Tony asks.</p><p>Over Tony’s shoulder, Steve can see Bucky grin as he climbs into their bed. “We caught Iron Man today,” Bucky says triumphantly.</p><p>Tony smiles as well but it’s a very different smile than Bucky’s. His smile is smaller, more secretive. <em>Mona Lisa, men have named you</em>, Steve thinks but lets the thought go when Tony sincerely says, “That’s great, babe!”</p><p>“Just hope he doesn’t escape this time,” Steve grumbles.</p><p>Another secretive smile. “I’m sure he won’t.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Hot Stuff; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Call me that one more time, see what happens.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by yobucky</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, hot stuff,” Tony says the first time Bucky walks into the workshop.</p><p>He pauses, one foot in the doorway. When he’d moved in, Clint had warned him that Tony gave nicknames to everyone but he and Tony don’t really interact enough for Tony to call him anything, let alone…that. He glances behind him, wondering if Steve came down behind him even though he said he wouldn’t but no, there’s no one there.</p><p>Tony looks up from whatever it is he’s doing and smiles reassuringly. “Yeah, you. Come on, what’s up?”</p><p>When Tony doesn’t say anything else, just waits patiently, he decides that it must have been a fluke. “My arm,” he says, having to heft it with his right arm. “Think a wire got pinched or something.”</p><p>~</p><p>“I notice hot stuff over there is being suspiciously quiet,” Tony says, cutting across Bruce and Nat arguing. “Buckaroo, what do you think?”</p><p>It takes Bucky a moment to realize that Tony is actually talking to him and then he frowns. So, not a fluke then. But what’s up with the nickname then? </p><p>~</p><p>“Hot stuff, can you come try the alfredo sauce?” Tony asks, holding out a spoon. Almost instinctively, Bucky looks around, still convinced that Tony can’t possibly be talking to him. Tony rolls his eyes and motions with the spoon again, seemingly not noticing the sauce dripping onto the floor. “<em>Bucky</em>. Come try the sauce.”</p><p>~</p><p>“Bucky Babe, hot stuff, light of my life,” a drunken Tony slurs as Bucky helps him out of the limo. “Why don’t you like me?”</p><p>Bucky freezes, almost dropping Tony on his ass. “I don’t - why would you think that?”</p><p>Tony eyes him balefully. “Cause you <em>don’t</em>.” And then his eyes roll back into his head and he slumps. Bucky scrambles to catch him before he can hit the ground, hoisting him up into his arms and sighing as he sets off for the elevators.</p><p>~</p><p>The thing is, he does like Tony.</p><p>A lot.</p><p>He likes the way Tony smiles and the way his hair is fluffy in the mornings before he has the chance to style it. He likes Tony’s snark and sass and how he always has a quip ready but can turn serious in a heartbeat if he needs to. He likes the way Tony curls up on the couch during movie nights and how, if Nat has a bad day, he snuggles up beside her before draping a blanket over the two of them.</p><p>He likes Tony. He just hadn’t realized Tony likes him back.</p><p>~</p><p>“Hey, hot stuff,” Tony mumbles when he drags himself into the kitchen the next morning.</p><p>“Hey, sweet thing,” he replies easily, flipping the omelet in the pan.</p><p>He feels, more than sees, Tony still. Feigning a casualty that he doesn’t feel, he nudges a cup of coffee in Tony’s direction, waiting to see how Tony reacts. After a moment, Tony relaxes and reaches out for the mug.</p><p>“Thanks, babe,” he murmurs before inhaling half the cup.</p><p>“Anytime, doll.” He has to turn around quickly to hide his grin when Tony nearly chokes on his cup.</p><p>~</p><p>“Light of my life, will you pass me the remote?” Tony asks, making grabby hands for the remote on the other end of the couch.</p><p>Clint points out, “You could get it yourself,” but Bucky stands and says, “Sure thing, darlin’.” He pushes the remote close enough for Tony to grab and continues on to the kitchen, ignoring the way Tony’s cheeks go bright red. “Anyone else want a drink?”</p><p>~</p><p>“Hey, hot stuff, what are we doing here?” Tony asks him when they’re in the workshop. Bucky is working on one of the cars. Tony is doing…something with a mass spectrometer, he thinks. It might be a different instrument.</p><p>He wheels himself out from under the car. Tony is fidgeting nervously, tapping his fingers along the edge of his table. </p><p>“I thought,” Bucky says slowly, “that we were trying to court each other, right?”</p><p>Tony blinks at him. “Really?”</p><p>Oh shit. “If I’m making you uncomfortable-”</p><p>“No, that’s fine,” Tony says quickly, waving his hand. “I just - I didn’t think you like me like that.”</p><p>Bucky pushes himself to his feet, crossing the room in seconds to take Tony’s hands in his. “I like you a lot,” he says honestly. “I just didn’t know you were serious about it at first. Clint told me you call everyone nicknames.”</p><p>“I don’t call anyone else ‘hot stuff.’“</p><p>“No, you don’t, do you? You call Stevie ‘Capsicle’ and Natalia ‘Itsy Bitsy’ and Clint ‘idiot.’ But I’m the only one you call ‘hot stuff.’“ He lets go with one hand, reaching up to cup Tony’s cheek, smiling when Tony leans into the gentle touch. “I just wanted you to know that I felt the same way.”</p><p>Tony turns his head to kiss his palm, eyes bright with happiness. “I like you too,” he admits shyly and Bucky can’t stop his grin from getting wider. “So, if you don’t mind, hot stuff, I think I’d like to kiss you now.”</p><p>“Call me that one more time,” Bucky murmurs, bending his head until his forehead is pressed against Tony’s. “See what happens.”</p><p>Tony smiles. “Hot stuff,” he whispers.</p><p>“Sweet thing,” Bucky groans and kisses him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Bad Day; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“If I could, I would kiss away all your scars.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by lo-anlurui</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s late. Bucky had taken a while to come to bed, too distracted by the pain in his shoulder to notice the time slipping away. It happens sometimes. The arm is a marvel of engineering and Tony’s version is nothing short of a miracle but it still aches during the first cold spell of the year. When he finally manages to drag himself out of his daze, it’s already almost midnight. He’s lost nearly ten hours to the pain. </p><p>He remembers what he’d told Tony earlier that morning, that they would go out for dinner tonight. He scrubs his hand over his face. Dinner, yeah right. Tony’s probably already asleep, given up on Bucky long ago. He’s never understood what kept Tony here with him but whatever it is, he’s sure Tony long gone now.</p><p>Time to face the music.</p><p>Bucky releases the tension in his arm and winces at the imprints he made in the armrest of the chair. Nothing for it now. He’ll have to tell Tony about it in the morning. He climbs to his feet, staggers back to his room, thinking of nothing more than collapsing into bed and wishing that he could turn back time to this morning when Tony was soft and giggling in his lap, before the cold had hit.</p><p>The room is warm and he spares a thought to remember to thank JARVIS in the morning. As he strips down to his boxers, he notices the oddly-shaped lump under the blankets, one that’s starting to move as Bucky makes a little more noise.</p><p>He freezes, wondering if he should alert JARVIS that there’s an intruder in his room but then the blankets shift just enough for him to see the top of a curly-haired head. He instantly relaxes and then tenses again, remembering his promise about dinner all over again.</p><p>“Tony?” he asks cautiously.</p><p>Tony shifts again before sitting up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes sleepily. “Hey, Bucky Bear, didn’t hear you come in,” he slurs.</p><p>“Just got here.”</p><p>Tony nods, still not looking completely present. “Clint said you had a bad day?” he asks.</p><p>Bucky finishes putting his clothes in the laundry basket and turns back to him. “Clint said that?”</p><p>“Mmhmm. He checked on you when you missed lunch.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says quietly, touched that Clint at least had wanted to make sure he had been okay.</p><p>“He wasn’t sure what was going on but Nat said we should leave you alone until you were better.”</p><p>“Oh,” he says again. “I’m sor-”</p><p>“Come here,” Tony interrupts, holding out a hand to him. “I doubt rubbing it will do anything?”</p><p>Bucky shakes his head and takes Tony’s hand as he climbs onto the bed. He tries again to apologize but Tony just shakes his head.</p><p>“It happens to all of us,” Tony whispers, watching him with big, sad eyes. He bends down and feathers a kiss on the scars on Bucky’s shoulder, so light he almost doesn’t feel it. Bucky’s breath hitches and he bows his head, letting Tony kiss his way across each scar. “If I could, I would kiss away all your scars.”</p><p>He can’t but as they lay down, Bucky on his side, Tony tucked up behind him running gentle kisses along his collarbones, he thinks that he’s rather inclined to let Tony try.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. DUM-E's Fault; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Who gave you that black eye?!”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There are three things that Bucky knows about this morning: it’s way too early, the coffee isn’t ready yet, and Tony has a black eye.</p><p><em>Wait</em>.</p><p>He swings back around. Tony is sitting down now, pressing an ice pack that he must have just gotten from the freezer to his eye. “Who gave you that black eye?” Bucky asks, almost a yelp.</p><p>Tony waves him off. “It’s fine.”</p><p>“It’s not <em>fine</em>. You’re hurt!”</p><p>“Really, it’s nothing,” Tony says. He sounds exhausted and Bucky wonders if he even came to bed last night. He himself had fallen asleep before Tony had finished whatever he was doing in the workshop and when he’d woken up, his husband still hadn’t been there but he’d just assumed that Tony had gotten up early to go back down to the workshop. He’s a lot better about sleeping on time now that he shares a bed with Bucky.</p><p>“What happened?” he asks, crossing his arms. There’s not much that he can do to help Tony that isn’t already being done.</p><p>Tony grins ruefully. “DUM-E got a little overenthusiastic trying to hand me the wrench this morning.”</p><p>“That’s it?” Bucky asks. He hates that he has to ask this but Tony often hides his injuries, choosing to take care of them with the help of Dr. Cho before anyone else can find out.</p><p>“That’s it,” Tony says with a little nod. “I swear. Nothing bad happened. I didn’t  fight any supervillains or get thrown into a bar or anything else you’re thinking might have happened. <em>Really</em>, Bucky Babe, I’m <em>fine</em>.”</p><p>He looks at him for a long moment, trying to figure out if Tony’s lying. But Tony seems completely serious so he sighs and unfolds his arms. “Anything I can get for you?”</p><p>“A cup of coffee?” Tony asks hopefully.</p><p>Bucky gives him an unimpressed look and takes a peek at the deep shadows under the eye he can see. “How about no,” he says flatly. “Sleep is what you need right now since I’m bettin’ you didn’t come to bed last night.”</p><p>Tony winces. “I was in the zone?”</p><p>Bucky sighs again and starts heating up some milk to give to him. “I worry,” he says quietly. “Just wanna make sure you’re taken care of, that someone’s lookin’ out for you.”</p><p>“I am,” Tony says sincerely. “You do. I’m sorry; I had an idea and I didn’t want to wait until today to figure it out. Guess I should’ve. Might’ve seen DUM-E coming if I’d waited.”</p><p>“Yeah maybe,” Bucky agrees. He passes the milk over to Tony and then says, “Come on, doll. Drink while you’re walk. Today seems like a lay-in-bed kinda day.”</p>
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<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Service; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"I'm sorry if i gave you the wrong impression"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by ad1thi</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony isn’t entirely certain what he’s expecting once he gets Bucky into bed but he knows that at no point was he imagining…this.</p><p>This being a quiet, pliant Bucky who waits for Tony to tell him what he wants and then does it with so much love and care and attention to detail that Tony almost forgets that Bucky hadn’t made the first move on his own.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Bucky says miserably when Tony squirms out of arms. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. You said you wanted someone to-”</p><p>Tony shuts him up with a soft kiss that leaves Bucky leaning in for more once he’s pulled away again. And, oh, he hadn’t considered this. Steve had said that Bucky - the old Bucky, that is - hadn’t been particularly tactile and he’d come back so shy and quiet that no one had thought that that might have changed. <em>Tony</em> hadn’t even thought that that might have changed and they’ve been dating for a month.</p><p>“Hey, no,” he says softly. “Things we like, remember? We only do things we like, things we want to do.” He throws him a worried glance as something occurs to him that he hadn’t thought about before. “You <em>are</em> here because you want to be, right?”</p><p>Bucky nearly gives himself whiplash with how hards he nods.</p><p>Tony laughs, hands stroking up and down Bucky’s arms. “See? That’s good, we’re on the same page there.”</p><p>“You said you wanted someone to take care of you,” Bucky point out. “Can’t do that if I’m too scared of hurting you to touch you.”</p><p>“Sure you can,” Tony says easily. “You’re just a - what did Pepper call it? - a service top.”</p><p>“A service top,” Bucky repeats dubiously.</p><p>“Or maybe something else. I don’t always remember what the different terms mean. Point is, you <em>want</em> to take care of me but you don’t know how so you want me to tell you how I want to be taken care of and that’s fine! I can do that.”</p><p>“You can?” he asks but it comes out a little flatter than he probably meant it.</p><p>Tony gives him a look. “Have I ever been quiet about what I want?” Bucky gives him a look back and he waves his hand dismissively. “Not about that. But you know me - full-scale diva. I want the last piece of bacon and to pick what we watch for movie night and the best seat on the couch.”</p><p>“That’s…true.”</p><p>“So here’s what I want right now. Two things: either I want you to give me a bath because you don’t feel up to sex or-” He spreads his legs and tosses the lube in Bucky’s general direction. “I want you to get your fingers slick and inside me. What’s it gonna be, Bucky babe?”</p>
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<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Bad Dream; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Shhh, it was just a bad dream. Just a dream, okay? None of it was real.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony wakes because Bucky is yelling.</p><p>He tries to sit up, realizes that he can’t because the blankets are pulled tight around, and immediately rolls over so he can see Bucky, who’s thrashing in the bed, blankets bunched around him.</p><p>“Bucky?” he says worriedly. Bucky yells again, panicked. Tony squirms his way out of the blankets and sits up, shaking his arm. “Bucky!”</p><p>He keeps shaking him, trying to reassure him that everything is alright until Bucky’s breathing starts to settle and he slowly blinks his eyes open.</p><p>“Tony?” he asks hoarsely.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m right here.”</p><p>“Sweet thing, come here.” He holds his arm up for Tony to slip under and snuggle up beside him. “I was - you and Stevie were - it felt so <em>real</em>.”</p><p>“Shh,” Tony says gently, turning his head to press a kiss to Bucky’s cheek. “It was just a bad dream. <em>Just</em> a dream, okay? None of it was real.”</p><p>“Sure did feel like it though.” Bucky inhales shakily. “Felt terrifyin’.”</p><p>“I’m right here,” Tony assures him as they slowly start to settle back down. “Right here. I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
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<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Backseats; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Backseats aren’t nearly as comfortable as movies make them out to be.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by crownofstardustandbone and in-umbria-gratia</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony is tiny. Pretty much everyone on the team is aware of this, with the exception of Tony himself who claims that his height is perfectly normal - and it mostly is. But put him beside just about any of his teammates and he becomes practically snack-sized. </p><p>This is probably why he sees no problem with suggesting backseat car sex when he and Bucky are returning from a gala.</p><p>Bucky, on the other hand, is quite a lot bigger than Tony is and he’s no longer allowed to ride in the backseat of a Volkswagen bug because he gets stuck when he tries to get out. But Tony has big brown eyes and a wicked smile and Bucky is never able to deny him anything, especially when Tony bats those long lashes at him.</p><p>This is probably why he says yes when Tony asks for backseat car sex despite him having enough problems folding himself into the front seat of the tiny sports car.</p><p>“Backseats aren’t nearly as comfortable as movies make them out to be,” Bucky grunts, trying to wiggle his pants over his hips. He knew he shouldn’t have gone with Natasha’s suggestion of pants so tight they’re practically painted on but she’d promised that Tony would love them.</p><p>“I don’t get it,” Tony complains as one of Bucky’s elbows jams into his stomach. “I’ve never had problems with car sex with anyone else.”</p><p>“Not supposed to be thinking about anyone else when you’re with <em>me</em>, doll,” Bucky growls but the effect is ruined when he slams his head into the roof of the car. “Ow.”</p><p>“Careful with that! That roof was imported from Italy! It’s worth more than your head.”</p><p>Bucky growls again but he carefully lowers his head. “Doll, come on, we tried sex your way. Now can’t we go upstairs and have sex my way?”</p><p>“No,” Tony pouts. “I want to have sex in the backseat of my favorite car.”</p><p>“You’ll ruin the leather.” He bends down and purrs into Tony’s ear, “And if you go upstairs, I’ll tie your ankles to your wrists and fuck you silly.”</p><p>Tony bites his lip, thinking about it, and Bucky has to fight down a wave of indignation that Tony is <em>thinking</em> about it. Bucky’s dick is amazing and awe-inspiring and it definitely shouldn’t have to be <em>thought</em> about.</p><p>“Fine,” Tony says eventually, reluctantly, and Bucky scowls.</p><p>“No need to sound so excited about it.”</p><p>He helps Tony out of the car first and then starts to get out as well only to encounter a problem. “Doll?” he asks.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“…I’m stuck,” he says petulantly.</p><p>Really, he doesn’t know why Tony is upset about him breaking the door in his escape attempt. What else was he expecting when he started laughing at him for getting stuck?</p>
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<a name="section0053"><h2>53. I'll Protect You; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“If I ever see you anywhere near her/him, you’ll have to deal with me.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Requested by anon</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Right after he and Tony announce to the team that they’re dating, Natasha pulls Steve aside. “There’s something you need to know about Tony that Pepper and Rhodey aren’t going to tell you,” she says as she drags him into one of the unused conference rooms.</p><p>He frowns at her. “If this is about Tony’s reputation-”</p><p>“It’s not. It’s not even really about Tony,” she says, hands flying over one of the computer’s keyboard. “But I don’t think his friends like to think about it and you need to know.”</p><p>She flips on the projector and pulls up one of SHIELD’s files. Steve doesn’t recognize the name at the top. “Tiberius Stone,” he reads slowly.</p><p>“It’s about Tony’s exes.”</p><p>~</p><p>Steve never tells Tony that he knows, not about Stone or Bain or Frost or the dozen or so other exes that are so awful SHIELD has files on them. He does bring the subject up with Pepper during one of the times that she comes by the penthouse to drop off paperwork. She confirms what he’d thought: they’d really done a number on a younger Tony.</p><p>“It’s why he thinks he’s so bad at relationships,” Pepper says as they wait for Tony to wander back from the living room with the signed papers. “Why he didn’t date until after Iron Man, why he didn’t want anything to do with the company.”</p><p>“He said he didn’t do anything for SI because he liked being in the workshop.”</p><p>“I’m sure that’s what he thinks,” Pepper agrees. “But I was there before and after Sunset. He was more than involved before he dated her. Then she walked off with all those inventions and suddenly, he left everything to either me or Stane.” She smiles but it’s cold and unamused. “Funny how that worked out, isn’t it.”</p><p>~</p><p>He never tells Tony that he knows despite there being times when he could easily lead the conversation in that direction. Tony never brings them up and he doesn’t want him to feel as though Steve betrayed his confidence by finding out without asking even though he has access to those files as the Avengers’ leader.</p><p>No, he doesn’t say anything and Tony never finds out that he knows - until the annual Maria Stark Foundation Gala when Tony goes pale and half-ducks behind Steve, using him as a shield for whatever he spotted on the other side of the ballroom.</p><p>Steve, who’d been talking with him, turns so that he can look over his shoulder at him. “What are you doing?” he asks.</p><p>Tony laughs but it’s shrill, worried. “Nothing. Not doing anything. Just wanted to get some shade,” he says quickly. Steve sees the way he’s shaking though.</p><p>“Sweetheart,” he starts to say but he gets cut off when someone says jovially, “Tony, babe!”</p><p>His eyes narrow. No one has the right to call Tony pet names anymore and it isn’t like he and Tony are keeping their relationship secret so everyone should know that. He turns back, gaze falling on the broad-shouldered, blond man who vaguely resembles Steve himself.</p><p>“Mr. Stone, isn’t it,” he remarks. It isn’t a question. He remembers that face from SHIELD’s files.</p><p>Stone glances dismissively at him. “I’ll take a whiskey neat,” he says before shooing him away. Steve’s eyebrows shoot up.</p><p>“I’m not a waiter,” he says, not that Stone seems to hear him.</p><p>Stone steps around him, grabbing onto Tony’s arm and tugging him out from behind Steve. “Tony darling, it’s been too long,” he purrs. “Just look at the way you’re filling out this suit. You’ve put on some muscle, huh? Looks like your ridiculous ideas of playing at being some kind of hero are working.”</p><p>Steve’s sensitive ears pick out two noises: first, the sound of Natasha shoving her way through the crowd but second - and more important - he hears Tony whimper as Stone’s grip tightens for an instant.</p><p>Almost before he knows it, his hand clamps onto Stone’s shoulder, stopping him from pulling Tony away. “Mr. Stone, isn’t it?” he asks again through gritted teeth.</p><p>Stone winces and Steve has to bite back a smile. He knows how hard he’s holding onto him. “Let go,” Stone orders but Steve doesn’t budge. He’s faced down men scarier than Tiberius Stone.</p><p>“Not until you answer my question.”</p><p>Stone turns fully, letting go of Tony in the process - and there. That’s what Steve’s been waiting for. “What’s it to you if I am?” Stone asks. Natasha’s there then and Steve briefly wonders if she’s there to stop him but, no, she’s reaching for Tony instead.</p><p>He shrugs. “Just wanted to make sure I’ve got the right person.”</p><p>“What-”</p><p>Stone cuts off as Steve’s fist connects with his face, sending him flying backward into the dessert table. Damn, he thinks idly, he’d really been looking forward to one of those chocolate boats. He stalks forward, hauling Stone up by his collar and pressing him against the wall. </p><p>“Now, Mr. Stone, I know you know exactly who I am,” he murmurs, low, dangerous. “I know you know I don’t like bullies and that’s just what you are. You come here, without an invitation, and think you can just push Tony around. Well, I’m here to tell you, you can’t. If I ever see you anywhere near him again, you’ll have to deal with me. Next time, I won’t be so nice. Is that clear?”</p><p>Stone’s gaze darts away, maybe because he’s scared, maybe because he’s looking for help from someone in the crowd, not that anyone comes to help him. Doesn’t matter.</p><p>“Eyes on me!” he growls, shaking him. “Is. That. Clear?”</p><p>Stone nods quickly. Steve pulls him away from the wall, giving him a shove in the direction of the door. “Get out of my sight.”</p><p>He waits until Stone is gone before looking around for Tony, who he can’t spot anywhere. As if on cue, his phone chirps with a message from Natasha: <em>Took him upstairs.</em></p><p>“Sorry,” he calls, giving a sheepish wave to the guests. “Sorry about that. Enjoy the rest of the party!”</p><p>He spots Thor and holds up his phone, pointing at it and then upstairs to indicate he’s leaving. Thor nods before turning back to directing the servers on cleaning up the mess Steve’s made. He jogs out of the party toward the elevator banks, idly noticing Stone outside, waiting on a cab.</p><p>Natasha is just stepping out as he hits the up button. “How is he?” he asks.</p><p>“Little shaken,” she says, waggling her hand in the air.</p><p>~</p><p>He’s never wished as much as he does now that the elevator could go faster. He remembers one time that Tony had discussed putting repulsors on the elevator so it could go twice as fast before coming to the conclusion that humans hadn’t reached the evolutionary stage where they could go that fast without padding. Normally, the memory would make him smile but he’s too worried about Tony right now to even think about it.</p><p>Tony is sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen when he steps out of the elevator. “So you heard,” he says dully.</p><p>Steve stops uncertainly. He’s not sure if it’s meant to be a good thing or a bad thing. “Natasha told me,” he says quietly. </p><p>“That’s nice of her.” But Tony doesn’t really sound like it’s nice. “It’s good that you know how fucked up I am.”</p><p>“Sweetheart, no,” he says, dismayed. “She was worried about <em>you</em>. Her whole thing was telling <em>me</em> not to hurt you.”</p><p>Tony snorts. “Like Captain America would do that.”</p><p>“Well, I’m not Captain America,” he argues. Tony stares at him. “I mean, I am but I’m not - I’m Steve Rogers first and Steve Rogers does things like get jealous because someone asks his girl if she wants to get fondue and he gets shot at because he accidentally kissed someone other than his girl and-”</p><p>“How do you accidentally kiss someone?”</p><p>“She kissed me,” he says, flapping his hand dismissively. “The point is, I’m just human. I’m going to make mistakes and Natasha just wanted to tell me to be careful with you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I knew. I should’ve but - No one ever really brought it up so I thought you didn’t like thinking about it and I didn’t want to bring up painful memories.”</p><p>Tony nods slowly and then slides off the barstool. Steve watches as he silently walks around the corner of the bar, coming closer before he’s right in front of him.</p><p>“You’re still sleeping on the couch,” Tony says and then hugs him. Steve, startled, takes a moment to respond but then he’s sliding his arms around Tony’s back, hugging him tight. “You punched Tiberius Stone. He’s the number one defense contractor in Europe. I’m definitely going to lose out on donations for pissing him off.”</p><p>“He hurt you,” Steve says. “I’ll sleep on the couch for as long as you like but I’m not apologizing for punching him.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony agrees. “I figured as much.”</p>
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<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Into the West; Bucky/Tony/Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hddnone asked:</p><p>your tony x bucky x hope moodboard is so pretty and also i loooove the idea!!! so creative and so fun XD did you have more thoughts about it at all? are you maybe writing something that i can look forward to? low-key obsessed XD</p>
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    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>“The important thing,” Bucky says firmly even as he tries to fight back his own rising panic, “is to remain calm.”</p>
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  <p>“No.”</p>
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  <p>He looks at Tony. “No?”</p>
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  <p>“No.” Tony gestures around him at the expanse of plains around them. The armor is missing and he’s dressed in a black tunic with a white tree on the front. Bucky thinks he should recognize the symbol but nothing is coming to mind. “Look around you, Bucky Bear! Does this look like Earth to you? <em>No! </em>Which means this is the <em>perfect</em> time to panic!”</p>
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  <p>“Tony-”</p>
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  <p>“Don’t ‘Tony’ me.”</p>
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  <p>“Boys,” Hope says and is promptly ignored by both.</p>
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  <p>“You’re being patronizing and I don’t like it. You’re not Steve.”</p>
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  <p>“And you should be glad for that,” Bucky shoots back, irritation growing by the second. “Cause if I were Stevie, I would have told you to cut the chatter already and we all know how you feel about that.”</p>
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  <p>“Boys.”</p>
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  <p>“If you think I should shut up,” Tony hisses, “then why don’t you just say so?”</p>
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  <p>“Fine. Tony, shut up.”</p>
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  <p>Tony gasps, outraged and points an accusing finger at him. “I knew it! I knew you hated me. Well, you know what, Freezer Pop, you’re stuck with me and I refuse to shut up. There are people out there who would <em>pay </em>to hear me talk-”</p>
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  <p>“-And none of them are here with you,” Bucky finishes. He can’t even really say why he’s so angry with Tony except that he’s panicking as well but one of them has to put on a good front and it obviously isn’t going to be Tony so it looks like it’ll have to be Bucky because that makes perfect sense. Let’s put the recovering brainwashed ex-assassin in charge of this because the great Iron Man is-</p>
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  <p>Tony taps nervously at his chest and Bucky suddenly gets it. He’s so used to the sound of the arc reactor that the absence of the noise is glaringly obvious. No wonder Tony’s worried. He opens his mouth, maybe to apologize, maybe to ask what he can do to help.</p>
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  <p>Before he can, Hope snaps, “<em>Boys!</em>”</p>
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  <p>Oh. He’d forgotten she was there. Don’t know how he could forget though. Hope Pym isn’t an easy woman to miss and that’s even when she’s not shining with some sort of ethereal glow.</p>
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  <p>“Maybe,” she continues impatiently, “if <em>both</em> of you would shut up, you’d know that I know where we are.”</p>
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  <p>“Where’s that?” Tony asks.</p>
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  <p>She smiles wryly. “Think about it, Tony. You’re wearing a white tree and I-” She tucks her hair behind her ears - her <em>pointed</em> ears. “I have pointy ears.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky puts it together the same time as Tony. “Shit,” he groans.</p>
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<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Loved; Thunderiron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>justsomeoneunordinary said:</p><p>Okay, since I'm a rare pair monster: ThunderIron with Tony visiting Asgard and meeting Thor's parents? And Tony being super excited abt science and stuff? I'd love it if it also included a little heart-to-heart talk with Loki, where the friendship between Loki and Tony helps Thor to find the connection back to his brother... if that's something you're intrested in writing. Thank you!</p><p>This super deviated from the prompt but since it really didn't want to be written at all, I hope it's still acceptable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s an accident that Frigga finds out about her son’s future queen.</p><p>Sort of.</p><p>It’s no accident that her son’s future queen is on Asgard. Thor’s entire team is on Asgard for two months to learn their warriors’ techniques and he’d warned her and Odin before he came that his future queen would be among them. So when they arrive, she eagerly looks amongst his team in an attempt to determine if there’s one that her son seems closest to.</p><p>The problem is that Thor has been careful—or accidental—not to use a pronoun to describe the person he’s seeing and while “queen” is merely a term to describe Thor’s future spouse, be they man, woman, or any of the other thousand genders across the universe, Odin assumes that Thor must have been referring to the red-headed woman he walks beside as they enter the throne room, eagerly telling her about the wonders of Asgard.</p><p>“If he were going to choose a Midgardian, couldn’t he have at least chosen their leader?” Odin grumbles, missing the way Thor’s entire team pauses.</p><p>Frigga bites back a wince. Her husband has grown complacent in his diplomacy during his centuries as king but she hadn’t thought he would say something like that.</p><p>“Odin,” she says softly, trying to warn him off, but he just frowns.</p><p>“She isn’t worthy of him,” he hisses and that at least goes unheard by all except Thor and the one in the spangled uniform judging by how they wince. “She’ll die before he is ready.”</p><p>“You don’t know that <em>she </em>is his chosen one,” she murmurs back.</p><p>Odin gives the others a dismissive look. “Who else would he choose?”</p><p>She isn’t really that surprised when Thor doesn’t introduce them to his queen during that first meeting.</p><p>She goes to Thor’s room later that night, after the feast, after Natasha and Clint have thoroughly trounced all but Sif and the Warriors Three and Tony has gotten himself set up in the forges, to find him sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a watch.</p><p>“It was a gift,” he tells her as she sits beside him. “From Tony. It turns into a robot.”</p><p>Frigga has her suspicions then but she doesn’t share them with him. It is Thor’s decision when he wants to tell her who he is courting and she won’t ruin that for him. “I’m sorry about what your father said,” she says quietly.</p><p>“He’s hurt,” Thor says simply. “He doesn’t think highly of himself at the best of times and Father’s words hurt him. I don’t believe he’s ever thought he deserves me. What Father said confirmed it in his mind.”</p><p>“No one deserves another.”</p><p>Thor chuckles sadly. “Try telling him that.”</p><p>“I will once you introduce me.” She smiles to tell him that she won’t hold it against him if he decides not to and true to her expectations, Thor shakes his head.</p><p>“Soon,” he promises. “But not right now.”</p><p>In the coming weeks, she sees her son divide his time amongst his teammates: with Clint on the ranges, with Natasha and Steve on the training grounds, with Bruce in the libraries. But if she wants to find him, she goes to the forge first because he can nearly always be found with Tony. The suspicion grows in her mind into a near-certain fact but she waits still for his confirmation.</p><p>And then she stumbles across them.</p><p>It’s late at night, nearly a month after her son has returned home, and she intends on asking him if he plans to visit his brother during his stay. Thor isn’t in his room so Frigga goes down to the forges though she isn’t sure why he would be there at such a late hour. Their blacksmiths tell her though that Tony spends most of the night there, sleeping only rarely, and so she expects that there’s a chance Thor is there too.</p><p>She hears them as she draws closer, murmured voices only barely audible above the noises of the fires .</p><p>“—you don’t like it,” Thor says softly, sadly.</p><p>“I do,” Tony reassures him. “Darling, your world is <em>incredible</em> and your use of language to describe concepts… Do you know, just yesterday, I was talking to one of your healers and they used the term ‘soul forge’ to describe what we would call a ‘quantum field generator.’ I couldn’t believe it; it’s <em>amazing</em>.”</p><p>“But you’re not happy.”</p><p>Tony hesitates and then he admits, “I wanted your father to like me.”</p><p>“My father doesn’t like anyone.”</p><p>“That doesn’t make me feel better.”</p><p>Thor sighs heavily. “Beloved, I wish I could tell you that it will all work out—”</p><p>“But you can’t, I know.” Tony doesn’t really sound upset, just disappointed, and Frigga’s heart breaks just a little.</p><p>“I’m sure my mother will love you,” Thor offers.</p><p>Tony laughs. “Your mother seems like she would love anyone as long as they loved you.”</p><p>“And do you?”</p><p>She can hear the smile in Tony’s voice when he says, “You know I do.”</p><p>“Tell me again anyway.”</p><p>There’s the sound of a soft kiss and then Tony says, “I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too.” Another kiss. “Are you coming to bed soon?”</p><p>“In an hour or so. I want to get this last piece finished. Thank you, by the way, for letting me use the forges. I need something like this in the workshop. Can you imagine what I’d be able to get done?”</p><p>“I’d never see you again,” Thor says with a light chuckle. “I’m going back to the palace.”</p><p>“Hmm, see you in a bit.”</p><p>Frigga doesn’t bother hiding when Thor steps out of the forge. He raises his eyebrows at her, silently asking her for her opinion. She wonders if he’s silent because he doesn’t want Tony to know that she’s there. She smiles reassuringly and nods. Tony had put it best: as long as her son is loved, she’s happy.</p><p>And Thor is definitely, decidedly loved.</p>
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<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Soup and Crackers; stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sickfic for ad1thi</p>
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    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>Steve was pretty sure when he started this whole thing that it was impossible to burn chicken noodle soup. But he’s looking now at the charred…mess of blackened stuff caked onto the bottom of the pot and he bites back a groan. So maybe he isn’t the best of cooks. He’s pretty sure he can go back in the bedroom though and fluff up some of Tony’s pillows so hopefully that’ll be enough.</p>
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  <p>“Were you <em>trying</em> to burn the pot?” </p>
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  <p>“Buck!” he exclaims, turning at the question. Bucky’s leaning up against the entrance to the kitchen, still in full Winter Soldier gear, which lets him know that the Quinjet must have just landed a few minutes ago. “How was the mission?”</p>
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  <p>“Fine,” Bucky says with a shrug. “JARVIS said Tony’s sick?”</p>
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  <p>“Some sort of bug. Can barely keep down water.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky pokes doubtfully at the mess in the pot. “And you were going to feed him this?”</p>
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  <p>Steve glares at the back of his head. “It was supposed to be chicken noodle soup. That’s what Ma always made anyway.”</p>
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  <p>“Right but if he’s only keeping down water, you shouldn’t be feeding him soup anyway. You’re supposed to feed him something bland. Like bread. Or crackers maybe.” Bucky turns away and strides into the pantry, calling back, “I think we’ve got saltines still.”</p>
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  <p>Steve follows him in. “I don’t remember eating crackers back when I was sick.” “You wouldn’t,” Bucky says absently, digging into the box for a sleeve of crackers. “You were mostly delirious during those times. Tony lucid?”</p>
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  <p>“Yeah. He was asleep last time I went in there but JARVIS told me a few minutes ago he was waking up.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky hums. “I’ll bet he wants cuddles then.”</p>
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  <p>Immediately, Steve perks up, the cooking disaster forgotten. “I can handle that!” he says. Tony likes Steve’s cuddles, says that he’s a much better cuddler than Bucky, whose metal arm makes for uncomfortable snuggles sometimes.</p>
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  <p>“Great,” Bucky says. “So you go handle Tony and I’ll plate the crackers and meet you both in there in a minute.”</p>
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  <p>“Plate the crackers,” Steve mutters as he heads into the bedroom. “Like he’s some sort of fancy chef.”</p>
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  <p>“Who’s a fan’y chef?” Tony slurs, struggling to sit up from the mound of blankets he’s huddled in.</p>
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  <p>Steve rushes to his side, carefully pushing him back down. “No need to get up, sweetheart,” he says gently. “Bucky’s back. He’s making you something to eat.” Tony nods, not really saying anything, which has Steve just as concerned as he was last night when he went up to bed to find Tony already there. He checks Tony’s forehead—still warm—and reaches for the thermometer to give him something more accurate, running it across Tony’s forehead, and tutting when it reads 100.3 degrees.</p>
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  <p>“You want another water bottle?” he asks as he puts the thermometer back down.</p>
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  <p>Tony blinks up at him slowly like the words are taking a while to reach his brain and then he nods. He’d had a fridge installed in the bedroom back when Steve and Bucky moved in—he claimed it was so they didn’t have to walk as far for a late night drink but Steve is pretty sure it’s for their occasional sex marathons—so he doesn’t have to go far to grab another water bottle out of the fridge. He unscrews the cap and helps Tony sit up enough to drink a little bit before he shivers hard enough that the water spills down his front.</p>
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  <p>When Tony doesn’t do more than stare down at the mess, Steve sets the bottle back down and goes into the bathroom for a towel. He hears the bedroom door close while he’s in there and when he comes back out, it’s to see Bucky sitting behind Tony, helping him eat a couple of the crackers. Steve joins them on the bed, tucking up against Tony’s side to clean him off and throwing the towel over his shoulder when he’s done.</p>
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  <p>“Yer not gon’ pick tha’ up?” Tony asks, eyes tracking the towel as it lands on the floor.</p>
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  <p>Steve shakes his head and cuddles a little closer. “Would rather stay here with you for a bit,” he says.</p>
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  <p>“Oh.” Tony turns on his side then, cuddling closer to Steve. “Yer cold.”</p>
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  <p>Steve hides his smile in Tony’s hair. “I think you’re just hot, sweetheart.”</p>
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  <p>“’m always hot.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky laughs at that before laying down as well, moving in close behind Tony to carefully drape his metal arm over Tony’s waist. “How’s that, doll?”</p>
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  <p>Tony hums happily. “Accept’ble.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky snickers and Steve gives him an amused grin.</p>
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  <p>“Glad we could help,” Steve tells him. He brushes some of Tony’s sweat-soaked hair out of his face to gently kiss his forehead. “You just rest now, sweetheart, and in the morning—”</p>
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  <p>“Reunion sex?” Tony asks hopefully.</p>
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  <p>Steve shakes his head ruefully as Bucky laughs again. “Maybe. How about we’ll see if you can keep down some soup instead?”</p>
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  <p>“Just not Steve’s,” Bucky adds.</p>
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  <p>Tony frowns and starts to say something but falls asleep before he can finish the sentence. Steve shakes his head again, fondly, and closes his own eyes, feeling the stress of the last twenty-four hours drain away with Bucky back and Tony cuddled between them.</p>
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<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Spaghetti and Bad Days; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anonymous asked:</p><p>Oh my gosh, I would LOVE 25 and/or 39 for stony. All those prompts are truly perfection tho🥺</p><p>39. Having a bad day and the other noticing (I tried to work some of 25 in there though)</p>
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    <p>Steve is in the middle of stirring the sauce when Tony comes up behind him, wraps his arms around him, and rests his head on his shoulder. He pauses and turns just enough to give Tony a quick kiss on the top of his head. Tony hums but it sounds a little strained.</p><p>“Bad day today, sweetheart?” he asks softly. He kind of knows the answer already. Tony’s day had been packed full of meetings, which would already make it not a bad one, then definitely not a great one. But then Pepper had called earlier and said something about a business deal falling through, which is why he has a pot of spaghetti noodles, Tony’s favorite comfort food, cooking on the stove.</p><p>“I worked so hard,” Tony laments, rolling his forehead along the line of Steve’s shoulder. “I learned a whole new language just so we didn’t have to rely on translators and they got offended by what my lead scientist said and left.”</p><p>Steve winces sympathetically. “Johnson?”</p><p>“Beck. I fired him. I won’t have my people making racist comments about the companies we’re trying to do business with. We’re better than that. Or I like to think we are.”</p><p>“You are,” Steve says firmly. Tony tries harder than just about anyone he’s ever met, is a damn sight kinder than most people, and desperately tries to make everyone feel welcome. And he knows it’s because Tony wasn’t always like that and he’s trying to make up for the mistakes of his past but he shouldn’t have to take on the weight of the world to do so.</p><p>Tony makes a noncommittal sound and then mumbles, “I expect we’ll see him as a supervillain soon. Somehow they always turn out like that.”</p><p>There isn’t really anything Steve can say to that. Tony’s ex-employees, ex-friends, ex-romantic partners <em>do</em> have a habit of popping up again and rarely in a good way. But what he <em>can</em> do is turn the heat on the sauce down to a simmer, move them a couple steps to the side so they’re not in danger of getting burned, and then turn around so he can envelop Tony in a tight hug, holding him as close as possible.</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault,” he murmurs, pressing another kiss to Tony’s forehead.</p><p>“I should have known he was a dick.”</p><p>“Maybe,” he allows, “but you couldn’t have known what he was going to say in the middle of a business meeting. Heaven forbid you think your employee has a little more decorum than that.”</p><p>He’s rewarded with a quiet chuckle from Tony and he tightens his arms around him, promising him that he’s not going anywhere.</p><p>“So which of your lucky scientists got a promotion to team lead today?” he asks after they’ve been quiet for a moment.</p><p>“Reynolds.”</p><p>“The one with the purple hair?”</p><p>“Yeah, they seemed like the best person for the job at the moment.”</p><p>“Good choice. I like them.”</p><p>“Thought you would.” Tony sighs deeply and starts to wriggle out of Steve’s arms. Steve lets him go reluctantly. “I gotta get started on damage control. Hopefully we can salvage at least part of the deal.”</p><p>“Do you have to do it now or can it wait until after dinner?” Steve asks, tilting the pot in Tony’s direction so he can see the meatballs and sauce. Tony bites his lip, a clear look of longing in his brown eyes.</p><p>“I shouldn’t…” He trails off and looks again at the meatballs. “Maybe if we make it quick?”</p><p>“And I promise I’ll help you work out what to say. You know I’m good at that kind of thing.”</p><p>For the first time all evening, Tony smiles.</p><p></p><div class="tags">
  <p> </p>
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<a name="section0058"><h2>58. For the Best; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>rhodee asked:<br/>ooooo, could you do #24: "You’re my ex but I think I still have feelings for you" for winteriron? 👀💖</p>
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    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>Bucky prides himself on being in touch with his emotions. Unlike Steve, who is nothing but a tiny ball of rage, and Natasha, who keeps all her emotions locked away in a tiny box, Bucky knows and proudly admits to what he’s feeling.</p>
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  <p>Which is why he’s absolutely baffled at the tight knot of jealousy in his chest when he sees Tony making out with Hammer at the office Christmas party.</p>
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  <p>It doesn’t make any sense. He and Tony broke up six months ago. It was an amiable split. They both decided this was for the best. There’s no reason for him to be upset about Tony kissing someone else under the mistletoe. So it can’t possibly be jealousy. No...he’s just - just angry about Tony ruining the sanctity of the Christmas party with his gross and disgusting display of public affection.</p>
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  <p>Yeah.</p>
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  <p>That sounds good.</p>
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  <p>“If you squeeze that cup any tighter, it’s going to crack,” Natasha observes dryly.</p>
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  <p>Across the room, Hammer’s hand slides into Tony’s hair and yanks.</p>
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  <p>“Tony doesn’t like that,” Bucky grits out through clenched teeth, hand tightening still further on his plastic cup.</p>
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  <p>“Huh?” Natasha follows his gaze and makes an interested noise. “Well, what do you know. Didn’t see that one coming,” she drawls. Steve gives her an odd look. “What? I only <em>act</em> like I know everything.”</p>
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  <p>Hammer’s other hand is slowly making its way down Tony’s back and Bucky makes a strangled noise.</p>
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  <p>“Why does it matter to you? You two broke up,” Natasha points out.</p>
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  <p>“They shouldn’t be doing that here. It’s a party. They should show...decorum,” he mutters.</p>
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  <p>“Right,” Steve says slowly. “And it’s got nothing to do with your breakup?”</p>
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  <p>“Why should it?”</p>
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  <p>“Because you’re looking at Hammer like you want to rip his face off. Don’t get me wrong, he inspires that feeling in everyone,” Steve says, “but then you said he wasn’t kissing Tony right so that sounds a little more suspicious, you know?”</p>
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  <p>“What’s so suspicious about it? Tony deserves to be kissed right.”</p>
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  <p>He freezes. Natasha and Steve freeze. No one else is in earshot or he bets they would freeze too.</p>
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  <p>“Bucky,” Natasha says hesitantly. “It <em>was</em> a mutual breakup, wasn’t it?”</p>
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  <p>“Course it was,” he says shortly and strides away, out of the office, and into the darkened stairwell. He leans over, placing his hands on his knees as he takes several deep breaths.</p>
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  <p>He’d forgotten how Tony could make him feel. They work in different departments so it’s been easy to avoid each other in the months since the breakup. It’s easy to avoid the fact that he still has feelings for Tony even though they’d both agreed their breakup was for the best. It hadn’t been out of a lack of love that they’d broken up but more that they came from two very different worlds and they couldn’t figure out how to bridge that gap.</p>
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  <p>But sometimes, like now, he remembers how beautiful Tony had looked lying in his bed, how much Bucky had loved holding him, how <em>Tony</em> had loved being treated like something precious.</p>
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  <p>The stairwell door opens behind him. He immediately straightens up, not wanting anyone to see how upset he is. </p>
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  <p>“I’m fine, Nat,” he says.</p>
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  <p>“Not Nat,” a voice that Bucky’s been hearing in his dreams for six month replies quietly.</p>
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  <p>He breathes out slowly. “Tony.”</p>
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  <p>“Yeah.”</p>
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  <p>“What’re you doing here?”</p>
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  <p>Tony is a warm line against his side. He always ran warm. Bucky used to say that he didn’t mind Tony stealing all the blankets cause why would he ever need those when he had Tony himself wrapped around him.</p>
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  <p>“We’re doing the right thing, aren’t we?” Tony asks instead of replying.</p>
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  <p>“Having second thoughts, Stark?”</p>
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  <p>“Don’t,” Tony says. “Don’t call me that. Please.”</p>
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  <p>“Sorry,” he murmurs. He knows how much Tony hates being called by his last name, hates any reminder that he’s related to the owner of the company. “Having second thoughts, Tony?”</p>
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  <p>“Aren’t you?” Tony counters. He turns around, leaning on his elbows against the railing so he can see Bucky’s face. Bucky glances at him and then away again, unable to stand the worry in Tony’s brown eyes. “I mean, really, are either of us actually happy like this?”</p>
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  <p>“I’m not...unhappy.”</p>
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  <p>“Liar,” Tony says softly. “I know you still. And you know me.”</p>
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  <p>“Yeah, Tony, I know you,” he replies roughly. “I know that it takes you fifteen tries to make an omelet right. I know you like to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the window, whether that’s right or left side doesn’t matter. I know you think amusement parks are overrated but you’d go to an escape room every weekend if your friends would let you. I know you hate it when people yell and that that drink you were holding earlier was apple juice and sprite.”</p>
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  <p>He moves suddenly, pushing Tony back and into the wall. Tony’s breath catches but he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t fight back. Bucky gentles his hands as they come up to cradle Tony’s face and then slide back to cup his neck, thumbs softly rubbing over the skin behind his ears. </p>
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  <p>“I know you like to be held when you’re kissed,” he whispers, feathering the words across Tony’s lips. Tony closes as his eyes as he leans into Bucky’s touch. “I know you like long, slow kisses over hard, fast ones but that’s not what you tell people. I know when I press right here, you make this sweet little noise - yeah, that one, sweet thing. I know you.”</p>
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  <p>“Bucky, why did we let this go?” Tony asks him. He looks tired and a little bit sad, the shadows deep under his eyes like he hasn’t been sleeping much the last few months, something that Bucky can understand.</p>
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  <p>“We thought it was for the best.” But right now, with Tony in his arms, he’s finding it almost impossible to remind himself of that fact.</p>
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  <p>“Yeah but for who? Howard? The company? We made each other happy, didn’t we? Isn’t that enough?”</p>
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  <p>He wants to tell him no, wants to say they’ll never escape the press hounding them if they do this, but he was willing to take that chance once. What had changed? When had he started listening to Howard’s insidious words about what Tony <em>deserved? </em>When had he let someone else decide what was best for them?</p>
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  <p>“Yeah, sweet thing,” he whispers. “It’s enough.”</p>
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  <p>Tony’s smile is brilliant when he pulls him down for a kiss.</p>
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<a name="section0059"><h2>59. A Wedding; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>justsomeoneunordinary asked:<br/>Oh, I love all those cliché prompts so much! If I could, I'd ask for each one, lol. But I'm especially a sucker for 18. Fake dating AU! With BuckyTony please? &lt;3</p>
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  <p>“Absolutely not,” Bucky says flatly.</p>
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  <p>Tony looks startled, as though he’d never even once considered that Bucky would turn him down. “Sorry, I think I misheard,” he says, confirming Bucky’s suspicions. “Could you repeat that again?”</p>
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  <p>Bucky glared at him to let him know that he knows what Tony is doing, knows that Tony is hoping that by making him spell it out, he’ll change his mind. “I said no. No, I will not go with you all the way to Italy for your fourth cousin twice removed on your father’s side’s wedding. Tony, you don’t even know her name.”</p>
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  <p>“Sure I do!” Tony protests. He waves the wedding invitation in the air. “It’s Valentina.”</p>
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  <p>“Fine. You didn’t know her name <em>before</em> you got the invitation.” He turns back to dicing up the tomato, steadily ignoring the way Tony is prancing closer to him. He’s sure that if he turns, Tony will give him those big puppy dog eyes and he’s a sucker for those, which is why they somehow always end up getting pineapple on their pizza. “Nope, not doing it. You don’t even <em>like</em> your dad’s side of the family.”</p>
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  <p>“That’s not true! There’s...uh...there’s...erm...” He trails off for a moment before he starts muttering Italian names under his breath, presumably all the members of Howard’s family. Bucky hides his smile. “Fine, so I don’t like any of them but I still have to go! They’re family!”</p>
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  <p>“Family doesn’t mean you have to subject yourself to a weekend of misery and it <em>especially</em> doesn’t mean that you get to subject your friends to it either.”</p>
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  <p>Tony is silent long enough that Bucky looks up from the tomatoes, only to see his outraged expression.</p>
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  <p>“Bucky!” he cries. “What else are friends for?”</p>
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  <p>“Whatever,” he mutters and goes back to dicing tomatoes. </p>
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  <p>A moment later, Tony drapes himself across the counter, wailing dramatically. Bucky deftly moves the tomatoes out of the way before Tony can get tomato juice on his white shirt because then he’ll have to hear about it all night, never mind that this has absolutely happened many, many times before and they’ve both gotten proficient at getting tomato stains out of white clothing.</p>
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  <p>“Bucky, I have to go! I have to rub it in their faces that I’m doing just fine for myself!” Tony exclaims.</p>
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  <p>“So go by yourself.”</p>
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  <p>“I can’t!”</p>
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  <p>“Give me one good reason why you can’t and I’ll consider it.”</p>
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  <p>To his surprise, Tony goes quiet. He looks over again to see him blushing furiously. </p>
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  <p>“I, uh, I maybe got tired of Howard’s family telling me I was never gonna find someone to put up with me so I told them I was engaged-”</p>
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  <p>“So go ask Steve to go with you. I’m sure he’d love a trip-”</p>
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  <p>“-to you.”</p>
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  <p>He stops. He puts the knife down. He turns around so he can see Tony burying his face in his hands. “Tony,” he says.</p>
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  <p>“What?”</p>
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  <p>“Tony, you yourself have told me many times that my name is an affront to your sensibilities and you expect me to believe that your family thinks you’re engaged to someone named Bucky.”</p>
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  <p>“Well, I didn’t tell them I was engaged to someone named Bucky, now did I?” Tony says nastily.</p>
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  <p>“Then-”</p>
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  <p>“I told them I was engaged to someone named James. And I can’t ask Rhodey cause they all know I don’t call him by his first name.”</p>
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  <p>Bucky groans, burying his own face in his hands now. He already knows he’s going to say yes. Tony has this way of talking him into things, which is probably why they’ve been roommates this long and he hasn’t strangled Tony in his sleep for leaving the milk out again.</p>
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  <p>“It’s really that important to you that you rub your fiancé in their faces?”</p>
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  <p>“Yes,” Tony says stubbornly. He peeks through his fingers up at Bucky. “Is that a yes?”</p>
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  <p>He groans again. He can already tell this is going to be a disaster of epic proportions. “Yes.”</p>
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<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Sweater; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>warmachinesocks asked:</p><p>and then for another prompt #2 “Your shirt/jumper was in the laundry pile and I couldn’t help but steal it” for stevetony pls.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It really isn’t that unusual to see Tony walking around in oversized clothes. Howard expects to see Tony dressed to the nines when he’s out in public and whenever he tries to rebel against him, his momma gives him that disappointed look and he gets all squirmy and guilty cause he’s really just a momma’s boy at heart and-</p><p>Anyway, point is, Tony has to look incredible when he goes out so when he gets home, he likes to be as comfortable as possible, which, for Tony, means oversized clothing.</p><p>This is the first time though that he’s wandered around in something that doesn’t belong to him. It takes Steve a moment to realize that those are not the MIT colors, those are actually the NYU colors, and then he has to stop because <em>hngh</em> Tony is in his colors. After taking a moment to compose himself, he looks again, trailing his gaze over the sweater paws, the way the hem hangs down nearly to Tony’s thighs cause it’s oversized even on Steve.</p><p>Yep, still sexy.</p><p>He’s wondering how best to adjust himself without Tony noticing - because while Tony is literally always down for sex, Steve is <em>supposed</em> to be getting ready to meet Nat and Sam for drinks - when Tony realizes he’s staring at him.</p><p>“It was clean,” he says defensively, crossing his arms across his chest.</p><p>“I know it was,” Steve says, dumbly staring at where Tony’s hands disappear into the sleeves. “I did laundry yesterday.”</p><p>“And it wasn’t put away!”</p><p>That’s true. Steve hadn’t gotten around to putting the clean laundry away after Tony had waltzed through the door, loudly proclaiming that he’d driven by the shelter and found a new cat that they apparently needed (a frequent observation in the Stark-Rogers household though Tony had only managed to talk him into actually getting two pets).</p><p>“So that makes it free game! And I wanted to wear it!”</p><p>Yeah, sure, that makes-</p><p>“Wait, what?”</p><p>Tony hunches his shoulders down and Steve abruptly realizes that Tony thinks he’s <em>mad, </em>that he thinks Steve is gonna make him take off the sweatshirt and that’s just-</p><p>No.</p><p>He puts his wallet and phone back on the counter, decides that Nat and Sam probably don’t want him along on what’s basically a date (they’re just too stubborn to call it that) anyway, and crosses the room in three strides. Tony watches him with wide eyes, clearly wondering what he’s up to.</p><p>“Let me show you how much I like it,” Steve murmurs before bending down and picking Tony up to carry him off to their bedroom.</p>
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<a name="section0061"><h2>61. Secrets; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>rinkitsune asked:</p><p>For the 50 prompts number 37 please!? And stuckony cause I’m a glutton for mobsters and Steve/Tony/Bucky.</p><p>37. We’re dating and I didn’t know you were a mobster.</p>
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    <p>Tony wouldn’t say he doesn’t know his boyfriends lead one of the biggest mobs in New York. It’s just, well, plausible deniability is a beautiful thing and until Steve and Bucky officially tell him about their other jobs, until that information is useful, he’s going to keep pretending that they run a gym and that’s it.</p><p>…He’s pretty sure this counts as telling him.</p><p>He looks from the bodies of his kidnappers on the floor to the literally smoking guns in Bucky’s hands. Both boyfriends look a little hesitant, a little worried like they’re afraid of how he’s going to react. That’s fair. Tony’s never given any indication that he’s okay with the mobs in New York. To the best of his knowledge, neither boyfriend knows that he’s one of those Starks. </p><p>After all, Stane killed both his parents when he was still in diapers and took over their organization. Tony was supposed to end up dead too but Ana and Jarvis had gotten him out of there and raised him in the country upstate, away from the city and the turf wars. He doesn’t think that either Steve or Bucky know about his history though.</p><p>Well, no time like the present, he supposes.</p><p>“Did you have to kill him?” he complains, shaking his shoe in a futile attempt to get the blood off. “I was just getting him to tell me who he works for.”</p><p>“Who he-” Bucky starts to say.</p><p>“You-” Steve splutters.</p><p>He gives them a little smile and shrugs off the ropes around his wrists that he loosened ages ago. “You didn’t really think my name was Carbonell, did you? I don’t even have a birth certificate.” </p><p>Didn’t they do any research on him at all? He did for them, which is how he knows the gym is a front for a large and expansive mob that’s only getting bigger by the day.</p><p>“So what is it?” Bucky asks, sounding dumbfounded. Tony picks his way across the floor, delicately avoiding the bodies and puddles of blood.</p><p>His smile this time is vicious. He knows they’re getting ready to go after Stane and that’s good because he’s ready too, even if they don’t know he is yet. So maybe he originally tracked them down because he knew they were his best bet at getting to Stane. So maybe he didn’t count on falling in love with them. It doesn’t change any of his plans. He’s still here to take down the man who killed his parents; it’s just that now he gets to finish that mission with “and then go home and let Steve and Bucky fuck him into the mattress.”</p><p>“Tony?” Steve asks as Tony gets closer to them. He holds out a hand to help Tony step over the last body, holding on tight as though he’s afraid they’ll lose him forever if he lets go. Silly boy, Tony isn’t going anywhere. He’s right where he wants to be. “Sweetheart, what’s your last name?”</p><p>“Stark.”</p>
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<a name="section0062"><h2>62. For Years; Stuckony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>crownofstardustandbone asked:</p><p>“I’ve been in love with you for years.”</p><p>Thunderiron or stuckony or anything you feel like really lol</p><p>Spin the bottle</p><p>Winteriron</p><p>
  <em>You get Stuckony cause that’s what the bottle landed on. This apparently also ended up being an alternate POV for Longing to Hold You Again</em>
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  <em>47. “I’ve been in love with you for years.”</em>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve isn’t subtle. This is something Tony has known for as long as he’s known the good captain (though Steve likes to try to claim otherwise). And before this whole mess, he would have said that he and Bucky aren’t all that subtle either but apparently, they’re more subtle than he thought. Otherwise, Steve might have actually understood that the two of them have been bringing him along on their dates for months.</p><p>On purpose.</p><p>Not accidentally like Steve apparently thought last week when he’d joined them at dinner and said, “You two don’t have to bring me on your dates, you know? It’s okay, I know you’re not still fighting with each other.”</p><p>Bucky had had to stop Tony from leaping across the table and punching Steve’s stupid face in his stupid mouth. Repeatedly. With his own mouth.</p><p>And the thing is, he understands. Steve was a little guy once, unwanted and unasked for. It’s easy to see how Steve got his signals mixed, how he thought they were just being <em>nice</em>, especially when Tony and Bucky started dating only a couple months after Bucky came home to the tower. He gets it and he thinks that if he were in Steve’s place, he’d probably have thought the same thing to.</p><p>But he’s not in Steve’s place. Steve is in Steve’s place and Tony is in his and he’s frustrated, which is why he let Bucky fuck him where Steve could see, why he let Bucky tie him down and hold him and bring Steve into their bed. And now that it’s over and Bucky is sleeping off his orgasm and he and Steve are cuddling, he can feel the last little bit of that frustration slipping away.</p><p>“I’ve been in love with you for years,” he admits quietly, tightening his arms around Steve when it seems like he might try to get up. “Don’t - Steve.”</p><p>“I don’t want to be the reason-”</p><p>“You’re not.” Steve makes a disagreeing noise into his hair. “You’re <em>not. Steve</em>. We’ve been trying to ask you out for months. I - we both love you, you know?” He buries his nose deeper into Steve’s chest and says quieter, “Sometimes, I think I’ve always loved you.”</p><p>Steve’s breath hitches. But Tony doesn’t take the words back. They’re true, after all. Even when he was old enough to understand that Captain America was the reason his father didn’t love him, he would just think about Aunt Peggy’s stories and fall in love with Steve all over again.</p><p>“Stop thinking so hard, Stevie,” Bucky murmurs sleepily. They both jump, unaware that Bucky had woken at some point. “We love you and you love us and that’s what matters, right?”</p><p>“But you and I, we’ve known each other longer. And you and Tony, you’ve been dating and-”</p><p>“And nothing,” Bucky says firmly. “Just cause I loved one of you first doesn’t mean I love the other one less. Just cause Tony’s loved you since he was a kid doesn’t mean he can’t feel the same way about me. You’re not bound to break us up any more than either of the two of us.”</p><p>“We’re not breaking up at all,” Tony mutters, rolling over so he can nose his way into Bucky’s arms. “Worked too hard to get us here. I’ll fight either of you if you want to break up without my permission.”</p><p>“Is that right, babe?” Bucky asks, sounding amused.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s right.”</p><p>He doesn’t know what Steve says to that cause Bucky is sleep-warm and comfy and Tony can feel himself dropping off to sleep. But he imagines that Steve is arguing again and Bucky is trying to reassure him. Well, that’s okay. When Tony wakes up, he’ll just tell Steve how much he loves him all over again. They’ll work it out. That’s who they are.</p><p></p><div class="tags">
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<a name="section0063"><h2>63. A Case of the Flu; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anonymous asked:</p><p>Oooh, can I request 43 or 20 for stevetony from the prompt list?🥺</p><p>Anonymous said:<br/>You are very talented, I really love your fics and if you accepting this prompt #43 Taking care of the other when sick or injured And write me some Steve/Tony with fluff and love and 💗 it would make me so happy! Thank you so much and stay healthy 🙏🏻<br/>For personal reasons, I don’t feel super comfortable writing 20 but hopefully 43 makes up for it!</p><p>43. Taking care of the other when sick or injured</p>
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    <p>“You’re a terrible patient,” Tony complains, heading into their bedroom with a thermometer only to see Steve half out of bed. “Were you this squirmy when you were smaller?”</p><p>“Yes,” Bucky says firmly before Steve can deny all knowledge of ever having been sick before. He passes Tony a paper bag of something that smells positively amazing and then goes over to the bed to push Steve back into the pillows. </p><p>Weak as he is, Steve doesn’t even put up a token protest other than, “Hey!”</p><p>Tony ignores him and peeks inside the bag. It looks like chicken noodle soup from Moe’s. “Thanks, Bucky,” he says. “I think I can handle the patient from here. Nat’s probably wondering why you haven’t come to bed yet.”</p><p>Bucky gives the two of them a cheeky salute and heads out the door, leaving them alone.</p><p>Steve starts to complain, “I don’t get why-”</p><p>Tony shoves the thermometer in his mouth. For a moment, Steve keeps grunting. Tony gives him a sharp look and he quails, meekly waiting out the thermometer.</p><p>As soon as it’s out of his mouth, though… “-why the serum didn’t keep me healthy.”</p><p>Tony shrugs. “Probably because you got the serum in the 40s and bacterial resistance has come a long way since then.” He checks the temperature reading - still high but better than it was this morning. “It’ll probably happen more often but likely just with superbugs.”</p><p>Steve pouts, muttering something about health and “thought I was past this” and “stupid serum.” Tony feels a wave of affection wash over him at the sight of his normally cheerful boyfriend grumpy over a bout of the flu. </p><p>He opens up the container of soup and sticks a spoon in it before bringing it over to Steve, who struggles to sit up. Tony puts the bowl down on the dresser and helps him, stuffing a pillow behind his back to give him a cushion between him and the headboard before passing the soup to him.</p><p>“Thanks for doing this,” Steve says quietly. “I know you’ve got your own health concerns.”</p><p>“What are boyfriends for?” Tony says. Yeah, he’s worried about the arc reactor but this is the first time Steve has gotten sick with the serum. He’s worried about him too. “Not gonna stop me from sleeping from the couch though.”</p><p>Steve swears loudly.</p>
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<a name="section0064"><h2>64. Something Dangerous; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>warmachinesocks asked:</p><p>hi alle! #49 “You caught me doing something dangerous and flipped out” for buckytony pls</p><p>I decided to make this a continuation of AU-gust Day 1</p><p>49. You caught me doing something dangerous and flipped out.</p>
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    <p>“Tony.”</p><p>He decides not to pay attention to the owner of the voice because the thing is, this spell really is very tricky and requires a lot of concentration. If he lets it lapse before his other foot is safely on the ladder, he’ll probably fall the couple of meters to the ground and break his tailbone, not that he knows this from experience or anything.</p><p>
  <em>“Tony.”</em>
</p><p>See, the bookstore decided to be obstinate this morning and made it impossible to move just about anything around the store, including the ladder Tony uses to reshelve books. And after spending twenty minutes just to move it a few centimeters, he’d decided he didn’t feel like shoving it anymore and started relying on spellwork to help him put away the books up high.</p><p>
  <em>“TONY!”</em>
</p><p>He takes a deep breath, firmly affixes part of his mind to keeping the spell going - one of the benefits of being one of the best witches on the continent - and looks down. </p><p>“What?” he snaps only to promptly realize that he’s talking to Bucky.</p><p>Well, hopefully he made a good enough first impression that this second one won’t be too bad.</p><p>“Don’t give me that! What the <em>fuck</em> are you doing?” Bucky demands.</p><p>Tony winces. “I’m reshelving books.”</p><p>“Not like <em>that </em>you’re not. Get down here and move the ladder over. You’re gonna fall and break something.”</p><p>“It’s perfectly safe!” Tony protests, getting steamed up now. How dare Bucky imply his magic isn’t enough to keep him floating! Never mind that Tony had just been thinking the same thing.</p><p>“You’ve got one foot on the ladder and one foot in the air, Tony, that’s the very opposite of safe! I’ve already got one reckless idiot to look after, I don’t need another!”</p><p>“I didn’t ask you to look after me!”</p><p>“Well too bad, I’m gonna look after you anyway because you clearly need <em>someone</em> to care about you.”</p><p>Tony’s so surprised by the statement that his concentration breaks and the spell dissolves. He lets out a startled yelp, loses his one-foot grip on the ladder, and falls. Bucky makes a bellowing noise and dives for him, barely catching him in the last half-second. They both topple to the ground, Tony on top.</p><p>Bucky makes a low chuffing sound as Tony’s elbow lands in his stomach, knocking the breath out of him.</p><p>“I’m so sorry!” Tony gasps. “You surprised me.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Bucky wheezes. “I gathered.”</p><p>Tony pushes himself up on his hands, dusting his pants off before offering Bucky a hand. “You really don’t have to do that, you know?”</p><p>“What, catch you when you fall because you’re too stubborn to listen?”</p><p>“Care.”</p><p>It’s Bucky’s turn to be startled, or at least that’s what Tony thinks happened when he opens and closes his mouth a couple times. Eventually, Bucky manages, “Sure I do. I asked around town, you know. They said you mostly stay in the shop and I don’t like the thought of you hanging around this place alone.”</p><p>“I’m not alone,” Tony says automatically though he doesn’t know why he’s bothering to argue when the thought that Bucky’s decided he’s going to take care of him fills him with a warm glow.</p><p>Bucky shoots him a look. “Three wind spirits and a familiar don’t make for good company.”</p><p>“Don’t forget Friday.”</p><p>“Friday?”</p><p>“The spirit?” Tony asks slowly, gesturing around the shop. “The one inhabiting the shop? Surely you know all magical buildings have a spirit. This one’s just a little moody sometimes so she was making it impossible to move the ladder.”</p><p>Bucky nods, suddenly understanding. “That’s why you were using the spell.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>He nods again. They fall quiet for a moment and then Bucky suddenly asks, “How do you feel about Chinese?”</p><p>“Spells?” Tony asks, startled.</p><p>Bucky gives him another look. “Food, Tony. Scott said you haven’t been by the grocery store in a couple weeks. Thought I’d bring some takeout over tonight.”</p><p>“Oh!” Tony thinks about it, that little warm glow getting just a bit bigger, and then nods eagerly. “That sounds nice.”</p><p>“Great. It’s a date then.” And Bucky is gone before either of them can correct the statement.</p>
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<a name="section0065"><h2>65. Close; Stevetony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Anonymous asked:</p><p>would you care to write a lil something for #1 of cliche prompts for stony? &lt;3</p><p>1. There’s people chasing us and I pulled you into the alley with me and wow you’re close.</p>
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    <p>As Tony would point out, he isn’t exactly small. And that’s not a point that Steve would ever care to argue. Partially because Tony is right, he’s only small when compared with Steve and Thor. And partially because if <em>he</em> had ever been called small when he actually was, he might have bitten someone’s nose off so he doesn’t have room to talk about strong reactions.</p><p>But when he yanks Tony into the alley moments before those Hydra agents round the corner, he can’t help but notice just how, well, <em>small</em> Tony is in comparison to him.</p><p>It’s a small alley!</p><p>So of course they’re pressed close together!</p><p>And of course he’s going to hunch over Tony’s smaller body to block the light of the arc reactor!</p><p>And so maybe that means he notices how Tony fits neatly against him cause he’s so much smaller!</p><p>…He might have thought too much about the word <em>small</em> for it to still hold any meaning.</p><p>Steve is so busy focusing on how Tony feels that it takes him a moment to realize that Tony is actually saying something. “What?” he asks after he’s tried and failed to remember what Tony was asking.</p><p>Tony gives him a nasty look. “Focus, Steve.”</p><p>“I am,” he protests. Just, maybe not on what Tony thinks he should be.</p><p>“Are they gone?”</p><p>Oh. Yeah, that probably <em>is</em> what he should be focusing on instead of wondering if he could hold Tony up with his body, especially when he’s the only one who can actually <em>see</em> out of the alley.</p><p>“Uh, hold on,” he mutters and turns his head so he can look. He can’t spot much though so he leans further out, thigh brushing against Tony’s hip as he moves.</p><p>Tony freezes and whispers, “Steve.”</p><p>“What?” he asks distractedly. He doesn’t think anyone is-</p><p><em>“Steve,”</em> Tony hisses more insistently. “Get your leg off my-”</p><p>Which is right about when Steve realizes his thigh isn’t brushing against Tony’s hip at all. And he doesn’t know how he didn’t realize that when Tony’s cock is actively firming up against his leg. And wow this is a day for realizations, isn’t it? Because he’s very quickly coming to the realization that he would love for this to be happening at literally any other time when they’re not being chased by Hydra agents.</p><p>“Steve!” Tony snaps, clearly noticing his mind wandering. Except he says it much louder than he should have and in a desperate attempt to keep him quiet, Steve lurches forward, brain only half-thinking about what he’s doing.</p><p>Wow, Tony’s lips are really soft, he thinks idly. Then-</p><p>“This is kind of awkward, isn’t it?” he mumbles against Tony’s mouth.</p><p>Which is where he is.</p><p>Because he’s kissing Tony.</p><p>For a moment, he wonders if it’s somehow possible that he actually left his brain at the tower when they left for this mission. </p><p>Tony thinks about it. Steve would be offended but to be honest, this is the first time he’s ever thought about Tony like this too so he can’t be <em>that</em> offended.</p><p>“Could be more awkward,” Tony decides. “Definitely not the worst first kiss I’ve ever had.”</p><p>Steve’s brain snags on <em>first</em>. <em>First</em> means there might be more. “You wanna do this again?”</p><p>Tony shrugs. “It’s kind of nice, isn’t it? We’ve kind of been building to this, haven’t we?”</p><p>And now that he mentions it, Steve can’t help but agree. Yeah, they <em>have</em> been building to this. All those days he spends in the workshop, the late night dinners just for the two of them because they’re the team leaders, for fuck’s sake, he even has a whole two pages in his notebook dedicated to a study of Tony’s <em>hands</em>. If that’s not building to something, he doesn’t know what it is.</p><p>“So, dinner tonight?” he asks hopefully, finally pulling away from Tony’s lips and oh, they look kind of nice when they’re shiny and red, don’t they?</p><p>Tony nods right as someone shouts, “They’re over here!”</p><p>There’s a high-pitched whining sound, a bolt of red light just barely misses Tony’s hair by an itch, and Steve takes a moment to be glad that Hydra agents have the aim of Stormtroopers before he grabs Tony’s hand and runs.</p>
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<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Reasons Why; Winteriron</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>coolmusicnut asked:</p><p>23 . Winteriron</p><p>Only if you want though!</p><p>23. “Just tell me why you did it!” “Because I’m in love with you, okay!”</p>
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    <p>Bucky looks at their floor, covered - literally <em>covered</em> - in thousands of rose petals, so much so that he doubts he’ll be able to take a single step without crushing dozens of them. The smell is already starting to give him a headache and he pinches the bridge of his nose.</p><p><em>Pepper told you this would happen</em>, he reminds himself. <em>She said Tony wasn’t good at presents.</em></p><p>“You don’t like it,” Tony says anxiously, standing next to him in the elevator.</p><p>“I like it just fine,” he lies.</p><p>Tony gives him a look. “You’re not going to be hurting my feelings if you say you don’t like it.”</p><p>Bucky returns the look. “Is that what happened with the giant bunny?”</p><p>“That’s different!” Tony protests. “It was right after New York. You <em>know</em> I was having anxiety problems. We talked about this before, because you said communication was important. And I agreed! So I’m telling you now it was different.”</p><p>That’s true. They had had that conversation all the way back when they started dating. “Just,” he starts to say and then rubs his temples. “Just tell me <em>why</em> you did it.”</p><p>“Oh.” Tony drums his fingers on the reactor for a moment before Bucky reaches out to hold his hand. “Because i’m in love with you, okay?”</p><p>“You love me?” Bucky asks. It’s not like he hadn’t known - it shows in everything that Tony does - but this is the first time the words have ever been said out loud by either of them. That makes it kind of a big deal.</p><p>Tony nods. “So I thought this would be a nice way of telling you.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>That’s.</p><p>That’s actually really sweet of him. He chuckles, leaning forward to press his forehead against Tony’s. “By making a huge mess?” he asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony mumbles ruefully. “Maybe not my best idea.”</p><p>“Maybe you should call DUM-E up here and have him clean while we go get dinner somewhere.”</p><p>“Dinner?”</p><p>“You’re in love with me and I’m in love with you. Isn’t that enough cause for celebration?”</p><p>Tony thinks about it and then nods. “But only if we get that champagne I like. You have horrible taste.”</p><p>“Oh <em>I</em> have horrible taste? You’re the one who covered our home in rose petals.”</p><p>“Yeah but which one of us called themselves Bucky?”</p><p>“That’s Steve’s fault and you know it!”</p>
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        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24372940">Spoils of War</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/iam93percentstardust/pseuds/iam93percentstardust">iam93percentstardust</a>
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